Dream a little dream
by EEB
Summary: Harry's been having a rough summer, but someone's here to make it better!
1. 1

Poor Harry. He had been worked hard all summer, washing and weeding and scrubbing and cooking from sunup to sundown. It had been a hard summer for him, with no messages from his friends or guardians. Dumbledore had said that Harry would be safer that way, but Harry wasn't safe anyway.

He was working in his Aunt's garden on hot July day when Vernon came up behind him. Harry saw his Uncles shadow fall over him and looked up with a gulp.

"Boy!" Roared Vernon. "Did I just see you pull one of Petunia's flowers out!"

Without waiting for an answer, he whipped off his belt and brandished it at Harry. Harry's body was covered with scars from previous beatings, but instinctively he pleaded, "No Uncle Vernon, it was a weed!"

Vernon didn't care; he had just made the excuse in case Petunia was listening. He kicked Harry hard, sending him sprawling out onto his front. Vernon raised the belt and Harry braced himself for-

Crack! Came the first hit and

Crack! Came the second hit, all the while Vernon screaming at Harry that everything was his fault, Vernon losing his job, Dudley being expelled from Smeltings, both knowing that the neighbors were at work and wouldn't hear Harry's screams.

Harder and faster came the blows until-

"Stop." Came a quiet command from the gate at Harry's left. Harry looked up and gasped at the sight of Lucius Malfoy. The blond man was standing tall with one hand on the gate and one hand on his walking stick.

Harry lowered his head and thought, 'at least a wizard will kill me and not Vernon.'

Lucius stepped aside and Vernon gaped at the sight of Death Eaters filling his front yard. "OUT", Vernon shrieked, "Get off of my property at once, you bunch of freaks!"

"Tut tut Mr. Dursley, where are your manners?" Drawled Lucius softly. Vernon turned a great deal paler than before and stuttered at the Death Eaters.

Suddenly the Death Eaters parted, and out swept Voldemort to see Harry. Voldemort looked to be around 30, but anyone could tell it was him by the glowing red eyes. Harry didn't raise his head or do anything, it just hurt too much. "Little One, do you remember our dream?" Voldemort hissed gently. Harry just groaned and gasped "No.", while thinking 'Vernon must have broken a rib or three!'

"Don't worry mine own, you will." Voldemort said. Harry gasped and whimpered as Voldemort gently picked him up and started to walk away. Over his shoulder Voldemort tossed "Oh Lucius, the fat man and his family are yours to do with as you please, I know how you feel about abusing those weaker than yourself.

"Thank you milord." Replied Lucius, turning towards Vernon with a smile that meant that bad things were ahead for Vernon. "I will have fun with this."

All of the Death Eaters laughed at the look on Vernon's face as Lucius advanced on him. Voldemort chuckled and apparated away with a pop!


	2. 2

Disclaimer: not mine, thank god Background information:  
Harry is Sixteen, 5'3 due to malnutrition and kind of neurotic.  
Voldemort looks to be around thirty with glowy red eyes

Harry was surprised when he was gently handled by the Dark Lord. It still hurt, but the man could have made it a great deal worse. Harry found himself in some kind of infirmary, being laid down on a bed that looked exactly like the ones at Hogwarts. The man who bustled up to him wasn't Madame Pomfrey though. Harry was stunned when the Dark Lord sat beside him and watched quietly as the man set about healing Harry. 

As the man diagnosed all of his problems he chattered on about himself to Harry. His name was Dr. Howitzer (call me Moe!), he had gotten his degree at MMU (Medical Magic University), how did Harry like Quidditch, what a shame that Harry hadn't been able to keep up over the summer, and so on until Harry forgot about what the Doctor was doing.

Voldemort was smiling when Harry remembered that he was there and turned to look at him. "Sir?" Harry asked softly, "Why are you going to the trouble of healing me?" Voldemort looked thoughtful and replied, "I'll tell you in the morning green eyes." 

Harry could only think that it had been a very strange day indeed, and took the potion that Dr. Howitzer offered. As he drifted he heard Voldemort talking to the doctor and he felt himself being lifted again. He was muzzy enough to be glad for the warmth that the Dark Lord offered.

Voldemort walked down the hall on auto – pilot, staring at the teen curling into his chest. His death Eaters stared in disbelief at the smile teasing at his lips as he opened the door to his room and carried Harry over the threshold.

Harry was already ready for bed, courtesy of the doctor, and Voldemort tucked him in and went to go take care of some matters that he wanted to oversee. He was confident that while it was only four o'clock in the afternoon Harry would sleep until morning, and he had to think of how to explain things to his young mate.

Harry tossed and turned in his sleep, fighting off a dream. It was the dream that Voldemort had mentioned earlier. Finally Harry settled down and let the dream – or rather prophecy - run its course.

A woman who bore a striking resemblance to Trelawney was sitting in what looked like the Slytherin common rooms, deep in discussion with someone else. Harry couldn't see who it was, try as he might. The woman's voice got deeper and deeper until suddenly she grabbed her companion and began to rasp at him, again much as Trelawney in third year. Up until then he had not understood what was being said, but the prophesy came through loud and clear.

Born the seventh month will be your mate And hard will be his life If he does not stray from you before you claim him You will love each other until the end of time Mark him as yours early on And he will be yours forever.

The dream tapered off just before Voldemort entered the room. He looked at Harry for a long moment before going into the bathroom to change for the night. He came out and lifted the sheet to crawl next to Harry. Voldemort hesitated for a second before pulling Harry to his chest and tucking the teen's head beneath his chin. As he drifted off he smiled as he remembered the prophesy that his friend Cassandra had delivered for him. She had the unparalleled ability to willingly deliver prophesies, unlike most other people with "the sight". He missed her terribly, but Dumbledore and Grindewald had conspired together and decided that she was too dangerous to live.

In the morning, Harry was astonished to be allowed to awake in stages, and even more shocked to find that he was warm. The Dursleys had taken away his bedroom when he got back and put him back in his cold, lonely cupboard with his trunk. Luckily he had told Hedwig to stay at Hogwarts; else the Durlesys might have done something unthinkable to her to get even with him. Suddenly Harry was wide awake as he remembered the events that had transpired the day before. He realized with a jolt that awoke Voldemort that he was in bed with that man.

Then he remembered the prophesy that he had heard the night before and, not being an imbecile, realized that whoever the woman had been talking to was his mate.

He looked up at Voldemort and thought, 'my god, I'm mated to my parent's killer. What would they say?' He started to shake as he thought about all of the people he would disappoint. His parents, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, the list went on. He was vaguely aware of Voldemort getting out of the bed and getting something, but a panic attack is hard to think through.

Voldemort was worried at his mate's shaking and got up to get him a calming potion. He poured it into Harry's mouth, but it was obvious that Harry wasn't going to swallow on his own so the Dark Lord began to massage Harry's throat and coax the potion on it's merry way down to Harry's stomach.

Harry began to be more aware of his surroundings and started to feel better. He looked up at Voldemort and asked "Now what? Remus and Dumbledore and oh god all of my friends will hate me!"

Voldemort looked at him seriously and said, "Before we worry about that, why don't I tell you why you're here."

Harry nodded and Voldemort grinned. "If you want the story, you have to sit on my lap." He decided. Harry yelped and said "Nuh uh, that's blackmail!" Voldemort looked at him for a few moments and Harry said, "oh. Right, you're the Dark Lord."

"Very good Harry! Now come here and sit on my lap."

Harry sighed and wandered over to Voldemort. Voldemort, still grinning, pulled Harry over his lap so that he was sitting sideways and could face Voldemort as he talked.

"Now, what do you know about your mark?" 


	3. 3

Disclaimer: I don't spell my name with a J, K, or R, so I guess it's not mine.

Harry looked at him in surprise. "Do you mean my scar?"

Voldemort heaved a sigh and said "you never thought that it could be anything else?"

"Well no," admitted Harry, "But what else would it be?"

Voldemort asked "what do you know about magical creatures such as Veela, Werewolves, or Vampires?"

Harry looked at him in astonishment and started to laugh. "You learn about them in 4th year right?"

"Well, yes." Replied a confused Dark Lord.

"That's the year that you sent the fake Moody to be our teacher and he spent the whole year casting curses at us!" said Harry.

"Whoops, I guess that I'll have to explain Vampires a bit better. Though, in my defense I was a bit angry with you at the time that I sent Crouch."

Harry was starting to fidget so Voldemort wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and began to tell the story of their lives.

"Well, one of my ancestors on my mother's side was a full blooded Vampire, drinking blood, and generally doing all the things that good little vampires do. Vampires need mates, to have someone to love and be loved by. Yes, it is a bit corny, but when you have to drink blood, it's good to have someone like that. Well my sixth great grandfather had a human mate, and their son did not have every characteristic of a vampire, and his son even less, and so on and so forth until the line came to me. I don't drink blood, but I do have a mate. I traveled all over the world looking for you Harry, from the time that I was sixteen to the time that I walked into Godric's Hollow."

"I had been slowly losing my mind until then, and became the Evil Dark Lord through using every spell that I could find that might assist me in locating you. I was still using them too, and I was pointed to your parent's home. I walked in to find your parents, well, gone. I felt sorry for you Harry, I really did-"

"Then why did they come out of your wand when we dueled in the graveyard!" Harry demanded angrily. Was Voldemort already lying to him?

"I was getting there! My lord boy, you really do have a temper. Anyway, I walked into your room and saw you lying in your cradle, after all those years, and I couldn't wait to mark you. That's how vampires claim the more… submissive partners in the bond. I wanted it in a place where anyone could see it and know that you were mine. That's why it's on your forehead by the way. So I marked you, and then I was planning on bringing you to your godfather Sirius Black, as he is loyal to me. Yes, I know that's a big shock, but he is a Black, and Gryffindors are almost as loyal as Hufflepuffs, and he saw a way to serve me and his family while still irking them. Sirius tries his very best to be annoying if nothing else. Maybe we can go visit him later, I made him retire from spying. Where was I?"

"Oh, yes, bringing you to Sirius. I don't much care about the age difference, but I draw the line at raising my mate. I do not wish to be your father figure. So I picked you up, and turned around, and saw Dumbledore. He tried to tell me that I couldn't take you. I disagreed, and the man shot an Avada Kedavra at me! Can you believe that? Well Lucius, smart man that he is, snatched Dumbledore's wand, and all of the Death Eater's ran. I did clearly hear Lucius yell for some one to grab you, and they learned upon my revival that they really should listen to my second in command. So, I floated around the world disembodied, I think mostly from my vampire blood, latched onto Quirell, and began to listen to what people were saying about you."

"I still can't believe that you got credit for being the boy who lived. I was the one that Dumbledore tried to kill. So I heard that you were with the muggles. I wanted to go get you, but Lucius disagreed, thought that you should at least get an education. I agreed after a while, and we started first year. I'm sorry about making your mark hurt, but I was angry at the time that you were so close and I couldn't touch you."

"Then the teachers started talking about the strangest things. About how they thought you had an eye for Draco, for Weasley, hell, even for Granger. It hurt pretty badly at the time, but then McGonagall said that she saw you snogging with Wood, and well, I lost my mind. Swept at you in the woods, lied to you when we were with the stone, then set the diary on the school, so on and so forth until Severus Snape managed to assure me that through occulmancy he had learned that your only dalliance had been with that Cho girl, and that you hadn't even done anything reprehensible. That one I blamed on myself, for pushing you away, and I know that it only lasted a little while."

"The wand that I used in the graveyard was Dumbledore's, because of it's affinity for curses. What made anyone think that there was a chance that I would have a wand with Dumbledore's bird's feather in it if there was any way that he could avoid it? Any way, that's our story up until now. Do you have anything to say?"

"Sirius is still alive! Why didn't you say so earlier? Can I see him?"

Voldemort hung his head and shook it. "I meant about us green eyes."

"oh" said Harry. He thought about for a few minutes. Well, Voldemort had explained it pretty well, and he felt a bit numb unless you counted the fact that Sirius was alive. "No, not really, except, what do you want me to call you? It would be a little weird to call your mate 'flight of death' wouldn't it?"

"Hmmm, I suppose that you could call me Tom, but please don't call me Riddle."

"Okay. Can we go see Sirius now?" 


	4. 4

Disclaimer: Not mine, thank god

"You'll see him at breakfast cub, now why don't you go get ready?" Said Voldemort.

"Um, all of my things were burned by the Dursleys. I don't have any robes with me." Replied Harry.

"I wasn't planning on you wearing anything of your own cub, a vampire provides for his mate. You'll find suitable clothes in the bathroom when you're done with your shower."

"Oh. But I have more money than I know what to do with. What's going to happen with it?"

Tom looked down at Harry with a speculative look. They both sat for a moment contemplating the problem. Finally Harry looked towards the bathroom and said, "Oh well, I'll deal with it later."

As Harry took his shower he just shut his brain down. Too much to think about in such a short time, while he just wanted to unwind from the remaining aches and pains of Uncle Vernon's beatings. He was trying to hide it, but something in his side still hurt. He hoped that it was nothing, and he didn't want to bother everyone with every little booboo that he got.

As he got out of the shower he saw that Tom had been right, and that robes of a deep emerald green were hanging on the bathroom door. He dressed quickly, not wanting to delay getting to breakfast. He exited the bathroom and stared at Tom, who was already dressed. "When did you shower?" he asked, bewildered by how fast his mate could get ready while he was in the bathroom. 

"There a bathroom down the hall. I see that the green was a good choice cub, I'll have to order more of them for you." Harry blushed and mumbled a thanks. Tom chuckled at how mortified his mate looked at a simple compliment and decided that he would have to compliment him more.

"Well, let's head down to breakfast," said Tom as he straitened and offered his arm to Harry. Harry blushed again and took the arm that was presented to him. They proceeded down a long corridor to the grand staircase, and swept down that to the bottom of the stairs where Voldemort's inner circle waited. Harry was surprised that there were so many people there. On the way down he turned to Tom and asked, "Do you always have meals with your Death Eaters?"

"Mm hm, it makes us all comfortable with each other. That's very important when you going to lead others into a battle and you have to trust that the others will lead there people exactly were they are supposed to and not grandstand to take all of the glory. Friends are much less likely to try to show off for each other, and this way they all know that they are equal to me."

"Wait a minute. We forgot to say where I still stand on this." Harry started to say before Tom interrupted him.

"I understand that you still don't agree with some of my ideas, and I won't allow you to fight on either side, it's too risky and I would be devastated to lose you so soon. Or at all, for that matter. No, you can just stay here with me. Now shush, I won't talk of this in front of my men."

Harry was bewildered at how authoritarian Tom had just become, and decided that while yes, it was a bad time to talk about it, they would be having a serious talk later. He saw Sirius, and stopped for a moment to let it sink in that most of his guilt trips had been for nothing. Actually, he thought that he could be just a little bit angry at Sirius. All of that pain and suffering while Sirius sat here in the lap of luxury. Okay, so he was a lot angry at Sirius.

Tom led Harry and the Death Eaters into the dining room, and they all sat around the table. Tom was at the head of the table, with Harry at his left and Lucius at his right. Next to Harry was Goyle Sr., and beside Goyle was Sirius, and beside Sirius was McNair. On the other side of the table, Draco sat between Lucius and Snape, and beside Snape was Wormtail. As politely as he could Harry asked Goyle, "Could you switch seats with Sirius please? We have a lot to talk about."

Goyle leered at Harry for a moment before replying, "Anything for such a pretty boy as you." Everyone else at the table paused for a moment, and made a mental note to tell Goyle not to hit on their Lords mate.  
Harry, being Harry, let the pass go right over his head as he focused on the fact that he would be near Sirius soon. As the two people swapped seats, Harry clenched his teeth for something that would really hurt his side. He turned to Sirius as he started to talk.

"Hey kid, I've missed you-" Began Sirius right before Harry pulled back his arm and punched Sirius right in the gut. After a summer of hard labor, Harry could punch really hard. Sirius doubled over and smashed his head into the table, sending silverware flying. Everyone at the table stopped talking and stared at Harry. The silence was broken when Snape started to snigger and said, "Black, I suppose that Potter is angry with your 'little joke'."

Lucius started to laugh as well, and Draco joined in, and soon everyone at the table was laughing at Sirius, who halfheartedly glared at Snape as though it was his fault that he had pissed off Harry. While everyone else was laughing though, Goyle looked at Harry and murmured, "The kitten still has claws." so low that no one else heard him. If they had, they would have been more worried.

But as it was they didn't and they weren't, so when Harry began to tell Sirius exactly what he thought of his "little joke", everyone was focused on him. Harry really laid into Sirius, telling him all about how much more awful that his summer had been when he knew that he wouldn't be able to see Sirius at the end, and of his nightmares, until finally he ran out of breath and stared down at his plate. Boy, his side really hurt. Sirius sat still for a few moments, and stared at Harry. "How did you want me to say something?" he asked, clearly at a loss.

"You could have staged being kidnapped. You could have showed that you were on Voldemort's side. You could have done a lot of things that would have afforded me hope than stage your death." Harry didn't say anything after that, mostly because right now he wanted to go back to sleep. Tom looked at him and sighed before pulling his chair back and saying "I think my mate is tired. Why don't we go on back to our rooms for now cub."

With that he picked Harry up. Harry curled into his chest to keep his aching side away from Tom's hands and drifted off to a dreamless sleep before they had even left the room, unaware of the eyes that were locked on Tom's retreating back. 


	5. 5

Disclaimer: While it would be nice to be richer than the Queen, I get paid less than the busboy across the street from her. Quite obviously, suing me is kind of useless.

Harry lay in bed for most of the day, wondering at his new situation. He knew that he aught to be upset at Tom for just taking his choices away, but he couldn't work up the anger. As the day went by, he finally just guessed that the claim that Tom had over him was at least partly responsible. He guessed that he liked not having to take care of himself or fight either. He did think about what he would do to keep his time occupied, and came up with a blank. 'Guess I'll have something else to talk to talk to Tom about when he comes back.' Thought Harry.

When Tom finally came back sometime after lunch, Harry sat up to talk to him. Tom looked at him in surprise and said, "The house-elves told me that you were asleep. What are you doing awake?"

"Tom, we need to talk," began Harry nervously, as he picked at the fringes on the bed spread. "About how much you… respect me. How much you will listen to my input. I don't agree with your ideas about muggles, or your… approaches to leading the wizarding world."

Tom had stilled and looked to be watching Harry carefully. Once Harry had finished talking for the moment, Tom approached the bed and gestured at it. "Do you mind if I sit with you for this?"

Harry mutely shook his head and scooted over so that Tom was sitting next to him.

"Harry," Tom began as carefully as Harry had, "Right now you are the most important person in the world to me. I would give my life for you should the need arise, but I don't wish for you to be in a situation where it would arise. You should stay here. I could teach you everything that you would need to know about the wizarding world, spells, customs, potions, anything. I could hire tutors for you, and anything to keep you safe and engaged. I do respect you and I hang off of your every word."

Harry listened, but the thought of spending his entire life buried in books wasn't very appealing to him. "Tom, I had always planned for a physical job occupation. Auror, quidditch player, anything like that to keep me interested. I don't sit still very well, and after about a month I would go stir crazy."

Tom looked at Harry for a few moments, considering the things that Harry had said. He took the things that he knew about Harry and put them in a mental list.

Harry was an early riser.

Harry needed something that changed often, to keep him engaged.

Hm, did Harry like animals?

Tom looked very happy with himself, causing Harry to get suspicious. Had Tom gone and made some important decision without him again?

"Cub, are you well enough to get up at the moment? To walk outside?"

Harry nodded slowly thinking 'if we don't go too far it should be alright.' Tom grinned broadly and ushered Harry into the humongous walk in closet to get changed from his P.J.s. A few minutes later he came out in jeans and a tight t-shirt, only to blush when Tom wolf whistled at him. "Come on" he muttered, thinking 'I'm not good looking at all. Would he pay attention to me at all if I weren't his mate?'

Tom was unaware at his mate's self destructive thinking, intent on getting praise from his cub for knowing his likes well enough. While the two trekked down the stairs, they where so wrapped up in their own thoughts to notice the pair of eyes that was following Harry's every move. They really should have, for it would have made future conflicts less of a surprise.

But as it was, they sedately strolled out of the front doors and onto Toms vast and flowing lawn. Harry looked at Tom in curiosity. Did Tom want him to be his gardener? Harry was about to say something when they broke over the summit of a small hill and Harry saw the expansive stables that Tom kept.

"I have almost every type of equine available," stated Tom. "From most breeds of horses, though no miniatures, nasty tempers those have, to thestrals – I understand that you can see them – to hippogriffs, and a few Pegasi. I believe that Black has a hippogriff stabled here, maybe you'll remember him? Buckbeak, if I remember correctly. Cub, would you be interested in learning to ride, handle, and care for these animals? Take over the stable for me?"

Harry stood there with his jaw gaping. Would Tom actually let him do this? He had been rather gifted in Care of Magical Creatures, and his first encounter with Buckbeak had gone rather well. It sounded like Tom had taken things about his character and presented him with a hobby that he himself hadn't even been aware that he would like. But the more that he thought about it, the more certain that he was that he would enjoy it. He could interact with people, animals, his environment would constantly change, and Harry could feel himself starting to fall for Tom. He turned to Tom speechless, and threw his arms around him. Tom looked down at his mate's unruly mop of hair and sighed contentedly. He felt pride welling up at being able to read his mate so well. As the two stood wrapped around each other though, they missed an angry hiss that rang softly through the air.

"Mine." It said. "Mine."


	6. 6

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A week after Tom had showed him the stables, Harry gasped as he sat down. He had discovered saddle soreness two days ago along with his love of anything equine. Tom just laughed at him as he cracked and creaked through the days. God, but did it hurt to move. No wonder they'd had him mucking out stalls for the first few days… that was the glamorous part of working with animals.

Tom watched Harry creak around the room, trying to find a comfortable place to settle down, but there was none to be found. Finally he just said, "You do know that a hot bath helps, right?"

Harry turned to glare at him. "You could have said something earlier, you know. This really hurts!" The only response that he got was Tom laughing at him. Now he wanted to spite Tom and not take the bath… but that was kind of stupid, so with a beet red face, Harry headed off to the bathroom.

Tom watched him go and heaved a wistful sigh. Harry still wasn't ready for anything more than literal sleeping together. Tom would not force this particular point on Harry, but good lord, it was… hard to control his libido. Harry was so small, fragile almost, and beautiful, with the contrasts between light skin, (though it was now gaining a healthy tan) and raven hair, rosy lips… and Tom had given himself yet another problem.

It was a good thing that Harry wasn't there to see him, because he was already worried about the Dark Leagues meeting later that night. So far Harry had only met his most trusted servants, and he had to say that he liked the way that they had reacted to his consort. Lucius almost seemed to want to mother the boy, while Severus was simply ecstatic to have someone next to his own son Draco to smother with his hormones. Tom heaved a sigh as he wondered at the fact that Lucius had gotten Severus pregnant again.

He remembered the first time that he had found out that Severus and Lucius were married with a smile. It was a very strange thing, learning that there was no Narcissa. Lucius made her up so that his father would let him marry Severus.

He was still unaware of how Severus felt about being seen as a woman by most people outside of Hogwarts, but the man seemed content with Lucius. He smiled slightly as he remembered Draco and Harry's reactions when they had walked in on the couple making out in the library. He had been worried at the wave of indescribable emotion that he had gotten from Harry through the bond.

Harry was probably very distressed for Tom to feel what he was feeling, and he had rushed to see what the problem had been. He had jogged into the library just in time to catch Lucius straitening Severus' robes and calmly explaining to the emotionally scarred boys that Severus had been reading a potions book and been hit by the hormones. He winked at Draco and shamelessly proclaimed, "Boys, the best sex that you will ever have will be when either you or your other are pregnant. Draco, I would spoil you for that alone, but your also such a great son."

There had been a dead silence in the library, until Draco had fallen over in a dead faint. At the Thunk that was Draco's head hitting the ground, Lucius had sighed and said, "Sev, do you think we embarrassed him?"

Tom heard a knocking at the door, and went to investigate. It was Sirius, telling him that the Great Hall was ready for use that night. Sirius looked around nervously and asked, "Where's Harry?"

Tom snorted in amusement at him and said, "In the bathtub. Would you like to wait for him?" Not surprisingly, Sirius declined as he was staying away from Harry until his bruises healed, lest Harry give him new ones. Tom watched him go and with a shrug, picked up a book to wait for his mate to

finish with his bath.

A few hours later, Harry had been out for a while, curled up on Tom's lap, reading his own book. They had found that when they kept contact, Harry tended to stay calmer and more content. Tom looked at the clock, and in a smooth motion, picked Harry up to go to the meeting. Harry looked at him in surprise, and asked, "Shouldn't I leave my book here?"

Tom looked down at him and said very seriously, "after I introduce you, If you aren't interested in what were doing, you can read."

Harry just shrugged and settled in for the ride down to the Great Hall, thinking that maybe the calming thing worked both ways, but why would Tom be nervous?

Tom was indeed nervous, about introducing Harry to the… less refined people of his organization. Harry was still very innocent at his core. The violence that he had experienced had only made him timid, not rough like most people would expect. While Tom was nearly overjoyed at that, he worried that one of his followers might say or do something to scare Harry. He knew that Harry had had visions of the things that he had done before obtaining Harry, but, and perhaps it was the bond, or relief that those particular horrors were over, but Harry seemed to be forgetting them.

Tom neatly repressed a shudder as he remembered the nightmares that had ripped through his Harry's frame in his sleep, the screams that had rented the air. He had screamed of Sirius, and shockingly enough, of children, before Tom had managed to wake him. When questioned about the children part, Tom half fearing that there were other children at the Dursley's being treated as Harry had been, Harry had looked at him strangely, saying that in his visions from Tom, he had seen children killed.

Harry had been flushed when he said it, but Tom had sat them both up so fast that Harry though that he might get whiplash. "I would never, ever hurt a child Harry. Ever. Even insane, I remembered how horrible my life was as a child, and I avoid hurting them at all costs. I avoid killing parents, I only do it when absolutely necessary. Where on earth did you get false visions from?"

Harry pulled a disgusted face and said, "Dumbledore probably. Stupid, conniving git probably did it to make me even more scared of you."

Tom shook with rage and was immensely glad that Dumbledore couldn't reach Harry now. He checked the wall clock as they passed it, and quickened his pace; he went to the small hallway behind the Great Hall and deposited Harry onto a chair. He looked at his inner circle, and they all remembered his instructions of KEEP HIM SAFE. Harry calmly pulled out his book and began to read again.

Tom shook his head wearily, wishing that he were as unafraid of the night as Harry seemed to be. He headed out to the Hall, and took his throne. Soon after, Death Eaters began to appear. He scanned the room for who had appeared and who had not. After every Death Eater had answered the call, he sent through the mark that his elite had that they should enter the room. They all went out, and Tom cleared his throat. Immediately the whole room quieted. He boomed out to the crowd, "We have a new person who will be joining us at all of the meetings. My mate. I expect you to treat him with the same respect that you would me, and anything less carries the same penalties as disrespecting me."

As none of his people had been stupid enough to disrespect him, it was an open and terrifying threat. He used the bond to tell Harry that he wanted him to come out, and he felt Harry put the book down, and stride out to meet Tom. They had gone over what Harry would do, and he slid smoothly in Tom lap, curling up so that he didn't hang over the edges of the throne. He felt himself being gestured at, felt every eye in the room on him, and pressed a little bit tighter against Tom.

Luckily, Tom quickly took the attention away from Harry and began to tell the Death Eaters of what they would be doing. Harry quickly fell asleep, as he usually did in Tom's lap.

Tom risked a quick look at Harry, and felt his disbelief that Harry could fall asleep. He shook his head slightly, and looked out at the Death Eaters and raised his finger to his lips, showing them to shush.

The meeting didn't take very long, and soon Harry found himself being awakened by the pop's of the people leaving the room. He looked at Tom and said, "I feel hungry. I'm gonna go to the kitchen before bed. Do you want anything?"

Tom shook his head and sent Harry off to the kitchens.

Harry made it out of the huge double doors at the entrance to the Hall, and down the corresponding hallway. He was almost to the kitchen when everything went black, and thick arms caught him before he hit the ground.


	7. 7

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. The story is though.

Harry groaned as he woke up. 'My god, is this what it feels like to be stunned?' though he. He felt like a lorry had driven its way through one ear and out the other. He took note of his surroundings, and found that while they were beautiful, like Tom's things, this was not a room in the manor. He took stock of himself, and found himself to be… scantily clothed in only a small loincloth. 'Oh no, oh no!' screamed Harry inside of his head. 'I want to go home', also made its way through his aching head. He didn't stop to pause and think about when Tom's manor had become home, but it was the home that he wanted.

He heard the door to the small room open, and closed his eyes. He didn't see who settled on the bed, but he could tell that it was too large to be Tom. His Tom was the perfect size, 6'3 and reasonably broad shouldered, and just the right fit for Harry to curl up with. Tom let him clothe himself! Harry continued to think of Tom, in an attempt to keep from panicking. It stopped working when the man beside him started to whisper, "Such a pretty pet, so small. Tanning though, have to stop that." The sing-songy voice made Harry shake, and pull away. "Is the pet awake then?" queried the terrifying voice.

Harry opened his eyes and wished he hadn't. Goyle sat before him, reaching out for him. Harry scurried backwards and stayed under the covers, hoping to hide his body from Goyle. The man laughed softly, with an insane glint in his eye. "Pet, I changed you, there's no reason to be… modest.

Harry couldn't fight the flush rising on his face, nor the panic in his belly. "Why am I here? Let me go back to Tom!" at this Goyle laughed. "No, no pet. You are mine, from the moment that I laid eyes on you, you were mine. You know it to. Why else wouldn't you bed that other man?"

"I didn't have sex with him because I wasn't ready for sex with anyone!" shouted Harry furiously. It was none of this man's business who Harry slept with! Harry wriggled to the edge of the bed, as far away from Goyle as he could get without falling off of the bed. Goyle merely laughed at Harry, and reached out to touch him.

Harry did fall off of the bed, and tried furiously to keep as much of himself covered as possible. He started to back even further away, but stopped when something around his neck pulled tight. He glanced down for a second, took his eyes away from Goyle, intending it only for a moment, but stopped and stared at what was around his neck. He felt bile raising in his throat, as he saw a choke chain around his neck. 'I need to apologize to Tom for thinking that he was overbearing,' though Harry dazedly, 'At least he didn't have me on a leash.'

Goyle watched as the despair crossed Harry's face, and tutted at him. "Pet, it is a symbol of how much I need you, and how you will be cared for." Harry stared at him in amazement. Did Goyle really think that Harry would appreciate being treated like a dog? Harry knew that he had to get out, get back to his Tom, but how would he do it with a chain around his neck?

Goyle looked at him for a long moment, and then removed the end of Harry's chain from the bed. "Come pet, it is time for dinner now."

Harry stared at him numbly, trying to process what the madman had just said. Dinner? Harry wasn't even hungry, not with how ill he felt in Goyle's presence. He said as much, staring Goyle defiantly in the face. Goyle stared back at him for a minute, then started to chuckle. "You're so adorable pet! Trying to be independent when you were made to be cared for by me! Oh, come here." Goyle swooped at a stunned Harry, and swept him into a bear hug. Harry found himself being rocked from side to side, with Goyle cooing at him about how cute he was.

Harry wanted to vomit, but found that it was impossible, due to the fact that he had not the air with which to expel anything, nor anything in his stomach to expel. Goyle finally let up a bit, and swept Harry up and onto his hip. Harry automatically started to struggle. Only Tom was allowed to carry him like that! Only Tom was allowed to carry him at all. His struggles gained him nothing but a playful scolding by Goyle.

Harry felt tears forming in his eyes, and fought them back. He wanted Tom so bad right then, wanted to wake up in his arms feeling safe and warm. To inhale the soothing scent that was Tom's alone, not gag on the sweaty stench that Goyle oozed. Damn it, cursed Harry silently, as a tear made its way down his cheek, I want to go home!

Back at home, Tom was frantically searching the Manor for Harry's magical signature. It just wasn't there! Not anywhere on the grounds. He burned his call into his elite, and willed them there violently. Lucius and Severus ran up to him, with Sirius close behind. He looked around, where were the others they should be there!

"Sir, please!" gasped Lucius over the pain. "Don't hurt Severus anymore, my baby!" The Dark Lord looked at Lucius blankly and started to hyperventilate. Sirius was holding on to a shaking Severus, and Lucius was pleading with Voldemort to make it stop, make it stop! McNair appeared before them, bent over his arm and panting. Voldemort suddenly stopped calling them. He hadn't expected Wormtail to turn up, he had killed him a little while ago, when it had been revealed that he had betrayed the Potters to Dumbledore. He slowly calmed his breathing, focusing on how good it had felt to deal with a traitor.

Lucius snatched a paler than usual Severus from a concerned Sirius. He swept his hands frantically over Sev's body, all the while whispering to him that he was going to be all right. Voldemort watched with a strange look on his face, parts envy, concern, and sheer terror. He slowly slid down to the floor, where he rocked himself slightly. "He's gone." Whispered the Dark Lord. Sirius jerked his head up and stared at him. "Harry? Do you mean Harry?"

Voldemort nodded slowly, and then started to shake his head. "Someone must have him." He whispered, "Someone has my cub, my heart." Severus pushed Lucius off of himself and stumbled over to the Dark Lord. "My Liege, look at me. Look at me!" When Voldemort did, Severus gently grabbed hold of his chin. "We will get him back. Didn't you give him anything with which you could track him? A necklace, tattoo, anything?"

Voldemort slowly nodded his head, trying to remember what it had been.

Meanwhile, Harry found himself on a large pillow, next to Goyle's chair. He would have tried to leave by now, but as it was he had to stretch himself up uncomfortably to continue breathing. He entertained the thought of hanging himself for a minute, then dismissed it, knowing that any minute Tom was going to burst through the doors and save him.

Goyle held a piece of peach out to him and cooed, "Pet, here is some thing to eat. It will make you more comfortable here if you would eat." Harry turned away and met the eyes of a horrified Goyle Jr. Harry turned away again, and stared blankly at the wall. He did his best to ignore everything going on around him, only just hearing Goyle Jr. asking to be excused from the table and asking to go over and visit with Draco. Goyle turned lascivious eyes on Harry, and told Goyle Jr. to ask to spend the night with the Malfoys.

Harry found himself alone with Goyle, who stood abruptly and yanked on the chain to indicate that Harry would follow him. Much to his own amazement, Harry did. After a few corridors and turns, Harry found himself in a large room that barely contained the most humongous bed that Harry had ever seen. It was bright green, with great big sheets covered in snakes that slithered and moved across it. Harry was horrified to see long chains hanging from the posts of the bed, with large manacles at their ends.

Goyle picked Harry up and heaved him into the middle of the bed. Harry had the wind knocked out of him, and lay still, quite stunned. Before he knew what was happening, Goyle had him on his stomach and chained spread eagled across the bed.

No, no, no, no, no, thought Harry, not this way, not him, I WANT TOM! Goyle took no heed of the terrified whimpers that were escaping Harry's throat. He stripped himself of his robes and his undergarments, and lined himself up with Harry's entrance. He leaned down to whisper in Harry's ear, "Pet, I've never done this with a man, so it might hurt." With that, Gregory Goyle flipped back Harry's loincloth, raised his ass to the air, and plunged straight into Harry.

Harry screamed louder than he ever had in his life. Nothing had hurt this bad, not Uncle Vernon, not the crutiatus, nothing! He started screaming, "Tom! Tom!" and Goyle paused. Harry started to sob incoherently, and Goyle slapped him hard, in the side, right where his old wounds where. Harry screamed again. His life was becoming a living hell. He sobbed harder as he felt Goyle groan in his ear and climax.

Goyle pulled out, making Harry cry out through his sobs. "How dare you!" shrieked Goyle, incensed that his pet would cry out for someone else during their "lovemaking". He raised his fist and hit Harry in the back. Suddenly he felt himself being thrown backwards.

Lord Voldemort stood in the door, a red aura surrounding him. Harry saw him, and started to cry harder. He tried to bury himself in the bed, but moving opened up the wounds inside himself, and the blood poured down his thighs faster. Voldemort growled and stalked towards Goyle. "Severus, take Harry to Howitzer. I have trash to deal with." Severus and Lucius ran towards Harry and unshackled him. Harry merely curled into a ball and sobbed.

Sirius had transformed to scent where Harry was in the Goyle household, and stalked towards Goyle with his hackles raised and a low menacing growl issuing from his throat. Voldemort's robes swirled about him dramatically, and he advanced on Goyle slowly, with measured steps, his wand at his side. "So, you thought that you could touch my mate? To take his innocence, as though he were a common wench? No, no, my mate is so much more than that. He is a god, sent down from the heavens, a wonderful gift to us."

While this was happening, Harry heard none of it. Harry was busy trying to pull in on himself. But insistent hands kept on distracting him from it. He finally looked up at the person shaking him in exasperation and said, "Leave me be, damn it! Let me just die!" Severus looked at him with a smidgen of pity in his eyes, but a firm, "NO." startled Harry.

"What do you mean, 'NO'? How can I live after… after…" Harry trailed off, a lump in his throat preventing speech. Severus whispered "I know how you feel, but you have to live for him. I had to stay for Lucius, and you have to stay for you Tom." Harry stared at him in shock, not entirely comprehending what Severus was saying. Finally he looked over to where Tom was, and shuddered.

Severus picked him up, and strode gently towards the door. Lucius followed them, and kept a hand at the small of Severus' back and his wand in hand. Harry heard Goyle whimpering as he had, and started to shake. They paused for Lucius to close the door, but they heard Voldemort hiss at a quaking Goyle, "'Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee', mortal.", and accompanied by Sirius' growls and Goyle's whimpers, it was the most terrifying thing that any of them had ever heard.


	8. 8

Disclaimer: If you haven't figured it out by now, do you even have the brains to take me to court? I make no money from this!

Severus rushed down the halls in the Goyle house, intent on getting Harry to Howitzer as soon as possible. He took a little comfort in Lucius' presence, but not enough to keep himself completely calm. He remembered hating the boy, seeing him as James Potter, not Harry. How long ago had that been?

Who knew? Hell, who cared? He could feel Harry's blood dripping down his front and started to run faster. Lucius kept pace easily, and eyed the boy that he had grown fond of in a short period of time with grave concern. Severus hadn't bled like that when… But this was Harry, and he was smaller. Maybe that had something to do with it? Lucius looked ahead, and snatched the Floo powder from his pocket to throw ahead of Harry and Severus.

As they reached the fire place, Severus slowed down marginally, to afford Lucius time to throw the powder. When Lucius tossed it and yelled "Go!" Severus wasted no time in throwing himself into the swirling green flames. He felt Harry grasping at him and whimpering, he felt the pity again, but he couldn't look down at Harry and risk missing the grate.

Finally the right grate appeared, and he jumped out, and handed Harry off to Draco, who rushed him to a bed, where Howitzer immediately started to pour potions down Harry's throat, and put the boy to sleep. Severus sat on a nearby bed and panted. Draco took his eyes off of Harry and glanced at his Dad. He moved over towards him, and said softly, "Dad, lay down. Maybe after he's done with Harry, the doctor should take a look at you."

Severus glared at him, but the wince in his eyes when he started to draw himself up to full height ruined the effect. After a minute, Severus grumbled at his son, and lay down. Seconds later, Lucius calmly stepped through the fire. He turned worried eyes to Harry, but sat on the bed that Severus lay on. Draco, seeing that he wasn't needed, moved over to sit beside Goyle jr., who had run to Riddle Manor to tell Voldemort of Harry's whereabouts. Severus automatically tugged Lucius down to a prone position, and snuggled up to him. Lucius maneuvered carefully, and managed to put it so that he was lying wrapped around Severus while looking on at Harry.

Lucius had an inkling of what was in Severus' head, memories of a night many years ago, when Dumbledore and his idiotic Order of the Roasting Chicken had found Severus torn and used by some idiots claiming to be Death Eaters. For just long enough to be marked by a burning chicken, he had believed them. But when he had overheard order members laughing over how gullible he was, instead of being inducted to the Dark Order as a spy for the light, he was inducted as a double agent.

Remembering when he had found out what had happened to his Severus, and he had taken off, with the Dark Lord's blessing and troops. Lucius started to rub long strokes up and down Severus' back as he thought about the pictures of Severus that he had found and subsequently burned. Along with the pictures, he had burned the brutes who had used Severus. He wondered what was happening to Goyle at the moment. Whatever it was, it was probably quite worse than what had happened to Severus' attackers.

About a half an hour later, Tom stepped through the fireplace. Everyone looked very relieved at the absence of the certain aura that made him Voldemort, and essentially evil. But Harry calmed him down, made him more human, more Tom. And straight to Harry did Tom go, not looking at anyone around him. He took up a spot next to Harry, and looked as though he would not move. Harry had been agitated in his sleep, tossing and turning, but when Tom sat down beside him, he leaned towards Tom and settled down.

Howitzer looked at this speculatively, and made a note on his charts. No one noticed, but he gave a small smile, and seemed to be happier than anyone had ever seen him, if only for a second. Harry gave a low moan then, and opened one eye. He looked at Tom, and through the bond, Tom felt his utter despair.

Tom leaned down to Harry's level and whispered, "Cub, I love you so much, more than anything, can you forgive me?" Harry blinked at Tom in shock. How could Tom think that Harry's weakness was his fault? Harry stared at Tom for a moment, and whispered back, "My fault Tom, I'm so slow. Didn't react in time, to weak-"

Tom cut him off at this. "No cub, not your fault at all. I told you to relax in my home, told you that you were safe here. It was my responsibility to surround you with people that you were safe with. It IS my responsibility to see you safe and happy, fed and coddled. Nothing like that will ever happen again, I swear it to you cub, never."

Harry looked a bit scared at how vehement that Tom was getting, and Howitzer twittered at Tom, "Quiet voices Voldie, quiet voices!" Tom turned around and glared at the nickname, but turned back to Harry with a deep breath. Finally he held out his hand to Harry. Harry immediately reached out of the covers and snatched at it. He drew it back into his grasp, curled around Tom's arm, and fell back asleep.

Tom stared for a minute, and shrugged. He had thought that Harry would shirk from any kind of touch, like Severus had. 'Oh well, maybe this is good,' he thought, 'maybe he'll bounce back.'

On the other side of the room, Severus actually hit Howitzer upside the head and said, "I will NOT allow you to poke at me when I am perfectly fine, you dodgy old buffoon!" Lucius had let the shock show on his face at his love actually resorting to violence. Draco edged away, figuring that it was the hormones. He was right. Severus rounded on Lucius next, yelling "This is your fault! You told me that, 'Malfoy's only had one child', that it was 'safe to go without!' the contraceptive spells! Argh!"

To the shock of everyone in the room who was conscious, Severus grabbed Lucius and shook him to punctuate his points. Poor Lucius looked quite shocked, and very scared. Howitzer wandered over to his desk, and looked to be preparing something. Severus didn't notice as his rage was focused on Lucius. Tom was shaking with laughter at the spectacle, and Howitzer cautiously approached Severus from behind, and with a wave of his wand, had Severus' arse bared to the room at large. Draco made a noise of disgust, Tom closed his eyes and laughed herder, and Severus froze just long enough for Howitzer to plunge a needle into his behind. Lucius clutched at Severus as the potion took effect, and Severus passed out. When that had happened there was a quiet in the room the was vaguely shocked. Finally Howitzer said, "I'm going to examine him now."


	9. 9

Disclaimer: Hmm, am I making money off of this? No? Then I guess that I'm not sue-able.

It turned out that Harry wasn't alright. Whereas Severus had wanted to be alone, Harry panicked when he was left alone. Tom had left "safe zones" around the house, usually a large, comfortable pillow. If Harry got scared or was threatened, he could run for a pillow, and it would have so many protections around it that not even Dumbledore would be able to break through them.

But Harry preferred to be with people that he trusted. If he couldn't curl up next to Tom for some reason, Lucius or Draco were always there for him. Severus was Severus, and still not very inclined to touch anyone other than Lucius, but he was always there for Harry to talk to. Mostly though, they just sat together in silence, reading or thinking.

Tom was busy, arranging what he thought would be a pleasant surprise for Harry. The wizarding world at large knew that Harry was his mate, and the Daily Prophet was condemning his mate as, "evil", and "weak". Luckily, Harry's rape had not gotten out, because Tom would have had to go down to the Daily Prophet offices and leave them a mass of burning rubble.

As it was, he was hard pressed not to go down and put the fear of the Dark into those idiotic reporters. He had decided that he might as well put off doing that until he had control of the ministry. While he had control of Fudge, sadly, it was not enough, as Fudge was only a figure head. Dumbledore really ran the Ministry, and it frustrated Tom no end.

Tom looked back down at the letters that he had written, and gave a small smile. He was "inviting" his cub's friends to come and see him. Of course, once they got the letters and read them, they would be Port-Keyed to his manor. He picked them up, and tied them to his eagle owl's leg. He knew that the two teens were together at the Weasley house, and knew that they would receive them at the same time.

At the Weasley house, Hermione and Ron were quietly sucking face with each other. They had been going out for a while, and had gotten closer when they had written Harry off as a friend. You see, both of them were extremely homophobic.

Dumbledore had fire called them, and told them all about how Harry had whored himself out to avoid fighting the war. Both of them were absolutely disgusted with him, and never wanted to hear from or about him again. He was nothing to them.

But when the owl swept in and dropped the letters on their heads (as their laps were blocked) they both had seconds to pull nasty faces before they were port- keyed to Riddle Manor. Upon arrival, they saw a thirty year old man with Harry sitting in his lap. The man looked up to see them, and they both gasped. The man was Voldemort! The red eyes told it all.

"What's the big idea!" yelled Ron, obviously very angry. Hermione just stared at him. She backed away, looking disgusted at what she saw. Tom forced a pleasant smile on his face, and shooed Harry towards his "friends". Harry looked absolutely floored at what Tom had done for him, and turned back to Tom. "Did you really invite them here for me?" asked Harry softly. Tom nodded and said, "I thought that you could use a bit of a pick- me – upper. Shall I step outside so that you can talk privately?"

Harry looked scared for a moment, but steeled himself and nodded. He would eventually have to learn to be on his own anyway, and his two best friends wouldn't hurt him. Tom gave him a big grin, and strode out of the room. Harry sat facing them for a minute, and Ron snarled at him, "You mean that you actually like him?"

Harry looked taken aback, but nodded slowly. "Tom is very important to me. He's helped me through some bad things."

Ron sneered at him and said, "You should have gone to someone that isn't evil. Maybe then you would still be the golden boy, but now I'm not so sure about that. Poufs can't be anything in our world. You stupid little faggot, why couldn't you have known when to die? You've let down a lot of people. You let down Dumbledore, us, hell, the whole wizarding world! FAGS ARE DISGUSTING!"

Ron had been advancing on Harry while he yelled, and Harry had been backing up. Harry looked around himself, and saw one of his pillows lying beside Tom's chair. He turned to go get to it, and Ron reached for him. Tom burst back through the door upon feeling Harry's waves of panic and hearing the yelling. He saw Harry curled up in the fetal position on the floor at Ron's feet, and saw the Weasley boy breathing hard.

Well, Tom saw red. He reached for Ron, and said very calmly, "Miss Granger, if you would kindly take your letter and say 'home now', it will take you back to where you came from. Young mister Weasley may or may not be joining you. It will depend on how he answers a few questions."

Hermione wasn't top of the class for nothing, and zipped her way back to the Weasley's. When she got there, she immediately told Molly what had happened, and both sat for a minute, trying to figure out what to do.

Harry had scuttled for his pillow when Ron had been quiet, and sat on it, staring at his friend with horror filled eyes. Ron had turned to him slowly, with hate filled eyes. Tom snapped his fingers and brought Ron's attention back to himself. "Well?" Tom snapped, "What did you say to him?"

Ron looked nervous, and Tom got angry. "If you can say it to those that you consider weaker than yourself, than be prepared to say it to their protectors. And Harry has a lot of protectors that you can be explaining things to." Ron swallowed nervously, and didn't say anything. Suddenly, Harry's small voice came from the pillow.

"Ron called me a fagot and a weakling, and then he pushed me down." Tom's glare made the temperature in the room drop about 10 degrees. Ron shuddered and thought, 'I am so dead.'

Tom walked back to the door, and called out, "Lucius, I have another one for you!" Ron started to shake harder when Lucius Malfoy strode into the room. He turned to Ron and said, "Oh, how wonderful! You're going to let me play with a Weasley?"

Tom nodded slowly, and Lucius grabbed Ron's arm. Tom began to ignore them, and headed for where Harry was on the pillow. Harry held his arms out to be picked up, and Tom gave him a great big smile. "Harry, how would you feel about getting some ice cream?"

Harry nodded, and Tom picked him up. While they were eating ice cream, Ron was in the Malfoy dungeons. As Lucius pulled him along, Ron saw many scary things. The Dursleys were still alive, and all of them were feeling the pains that they had put Harry through. Their punishments wouldn't end for 15 years, as long as they had tormented Harry. He saw skeletons, and strange instruments of torture. Finally Malfoy arrived at a cell and tossed Ron in. As he closed the door, he gave a small laugh. "I'll be seeing you in 5 days boy. Give you some time to think about what you did."

Ron sat down heavily, and felt incredibly stupid for yelling at Harry at that time. He should have chosen a better time than that, couldn't he? He hoped that someone would save him soon.

Harry was being distracted from his earlier scares at the moment. Along with not wanting to be alone, he had moved up from closed mouth quick kisses to something more… deep. The first time that Tom had kissed him after his attack, he had just been waking up. He decided that he enjoyed waking up like that, and had followed after Tom's mouth as it had pulled away.

After that, Tom had properly kissed him as much as he could. Harry discovered that he liked French kissing, and he told Tom that he was his first French kisser. Tom had been very pleased with that, and both enjoyed the contact that it afforded them. So they where sitting in the kitchen, well, Tom was sitting, Harry was straddling his legs, and they were making out.

Tom smiled up at Harry, and stood. "Come on cub, its been a long day for us. Let's go to bed." Harry looked up at him shyly, and said, "Just sleep, right?"

Tom smiled down at him, and nodded. Harry walked next to Tom, up the staircase and down the halls, and when they reached their rooms, he preceded Tom in. Both of them changed silently, and Tom crawled into bed first. Harry sprawled out next to him, and Tom laughed before tucking his cub up under his chin. Harry pressed a kiss into Tom's neck and murmured, "Good night."


	10. Authors Note

I've noticed that some people have been saying that all of the Harry/Voldemort stories that they read have Harry raped. Thatis NOT the case, and here are a few fics that are Harry/Voldemort without rape.

A skewed Reality

Actaleptic

Lies, Deciets, and finally Love

The Return of the Original Dark Lord

The Turmoil Within

Broken Angel by Maizeysugah

Fallen by Yih


	11. 10

Disclaimer: Look in the last 9 chapters!

scorpion moon goddess: I love your stories, that's why I recommended them!

Lotrox: I love Abandon too, but the stories that I listed were ones where Harry was not raped, and in Abandon, Dudley rapes Harry.

Harry woke up slowly the next morning, and lay in bed for a long time. He enjoyed feeling warm and safe in Tom's arms. He took the time offered to him to think about his life. He spent a long time thinking about his neuroses after his attack, and thinking that he had to fix them. 'I'll try to spend more time away from people,' Harry decided, 'maybe then I can be strong enough for Tom.'

Suddenly Harry's thoughts turned to Sirius. Harry hadn't seen him since he had been attacked. Harry squirmed a bit in Tom's arms, making the Dark Lord wake up. Tom looked at Harry with a bit of a scowl, and mumbled sleepily, "What time is it?"

Harry shrugged and hopped off of the bed to go use the restroom. When he came out later, Tom was sitting with his back to the headboard, having breakfast in bed. Harry climbed up next to him, and Tom gently placed a blackberry into his mouth. Harry chewed, swallowed and asked, "Hey Tom, where's Sirius?"

Tom froze, thinking, 'Shit! I forgot to figure out where he would stand on torture!' The pair sat there for a moment, staring at each other, with Tom fighting to keep the horror off of his face. Harry was starting to get worried when Tom said, "I sent him to go meet some people."

Harry cocked his head to the side, looking utterly adorable to Tom, and asked, "What happened to his being retired?"

'Shit!' Thought Tom desperately, 'I need to make up more things!'

"They are from Dark families, who need to be persuaded to come to my order, and Sirius is a likeable person. He's just getting to be friends with them at Malfoy Manor." There! Harry couldn't think anything more of it, please let him forget about it…

"In that case, can I go visit him?" Harry asked, unaware of the havoc that he was wreaking on Tom's nerves.

Meanwhile, Sirius, who was a morning person, rolled out of bed at some ungodly hour, smiled, and went to go wake up the people who had tormented his pup. As he heard the door to the dungeons close, he quickly transformed into Snuffles. He rolled his canine shoulders, and started to run up and down the hallway in which the prisoners where being held. He could hear them stirring, and started to growl. He increased his speed, and started to bark as loud as he could.

He got a sense of satisfaction when he immediately smelled piss from Goyle, Ron, and Dudley Dursley's cells. He slowly advanced on Vernon's cell, growling loudly. He heard the lousy lump scrambling about in his cell, and knew that he was pressing himself into the wall. He briefly whished that he had had the time to torment Petunia, but she had died soon after arrival, the story he had heard was that Severus had gone hormonal on her after she had said something about his pup being a freak. Damn, Sirius would have paid good money to see that.

As it was, he had Vernon to play with. Dudley was Draco's training toy, and Lucius just played with all of them, after all they were his dungeons. Sirius nudged the door open, all of the doors were open, but the horrors that awaited prisoners outside made it worth staying inside. Vernon stared at him in horror, arching his back as he felt more of Harry's pain. Sirius advanced on him slowly, then sat down in the middle of the cell.

Yet again the acrid smell of urine hit his nose, and he gave a doggy grin. With that, he left the cell. He went upstairs to the family dining room, still as Snuffles, and Lucius stared at him. "How many times will I say that I do not allow you to be in that form in the house?" He asked, exasperated.

Draco came downstairs with his Great Dane Prince following him, and Sirius looked very pointedly at the other dog. Draco looked a little chagrined, and mumbled, "Come on Prince, outside." And Lucius hung his head. Finally he said, "Prince is different. He doesn't shed as much as you do." Sirius turned back immediately and exclaimed, "I do not shed!"

"Yes you do Black." Severus stood in the doorway behind his husband, nursing a cup of coffee and looking very pregnant indeed. Sirius scowled, but said nothing, knowing how stupid it was to talk back to a pregnant Severus. He still had the scars that Severus had given him while he was preggers with Draco. Sighing, he followed Draco outside. The whole family usually ate outside on their giant front porch, looking out on the Malfoy gardens.

Sirius usually enjoyed his time with the Malfoys, and this time was no exception. Draco had always been an extremely intelligent boy, and with fathers like his, it was no wonder. Lucius had the entire Malfoy fortune at his fingers, but he still hadn't touched a dime of it since he had turned seventeen. He had his own business- though Sirius wasn't quite sure what it was- and had built up a fortune that overtook the Malfoy money. Severus was Severus, and had always been the cleverest wizard in school. Draco was supposed to have an airhead for a mother however, so he very carefully kept behind Granger in school.

He wouldn't this year though. He wasn't sure what had happened, but Dumbledore had found out about Lucius and Severus, and kicked Severus out of the Order and the school. Severus didn't really care, and since no one was quite sure what it was that Lucius sold, they couldn't boycott it, and the family still lived in extreme wealth. Severus seemed relieved to be living in the open, and when a pregnant Severus was happy, Lucius was happy.

Draco would be home schooled, and all was well with the Malfoy family. Sirius grinned at them, and even Severus grinned back. Prince bounded up the stairs, and nearly knocked over the table. They were ready for it though, and a well placed charm from Lucius saved breakfast. Prince propped his head up on Sirius' thigh, and drooled all over it. Sirius understood it though, and he didn't mind.

Their tranquil meal was interrupted however, when the Dark Lord appeared and looked very frantic. The rest of them were as well when he shouted, "Harry wants to come over to see Sirius!" They all started to talk at once, and Severus laid his head down on the table. Finally Lucius got the whole story from the dark lord, and looking very stricken, told Draco to go fire call a few of his friends that went to Durmsrtang.

Tom finally went home to a very confused Harry. "What took so long?" Harry asked. "The new recruits saw me, and they had a few questions." Replied Tom easily. Harry nodded, and Tom made a port-key for them, and they left for Malfoy Manor.

When they arrived, Harry gave Sirius a big hug. He started to pull back, and stopped. "Umm, Sirius, I'm trying to be nice here, but you reek. Why would you be talking to anyone smelling like this?"

Sirius flushed and replied, "I was outside playing with the dog Harry." Harry thought about it for a minute, fought with himself over what he was about to say, and finally said, "And the dog peed on you?" Everyone in the room froze, but Severus saved the day. "OUT! Go wash you disgusting mongrel! Why would you greet your godson like that! GET OUT!"

Harry snickered at Sirius and slowly everyone but Severus started to laugh at him. Severus watched as Sirius gaped at everyone laughing at him, sighed, and rolled up his newspaper. As he was close to Sirius, he had only to lean over before WHAP! he hit Sirius over the head. "GO." Was stated firmly at the bewildered animagus.

Sirius pouted, and left to go wash.


	12. 11

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. I have no money, nor am I making any off of this, so please don't sue me.

Harry sat on the couch in the main parlor at the Malfoy manor, and watched the people around him talk quietly. He was supposed to be asleep, having had a long day cavorting with Sirius and Prince outside on the lawn. He found that he couldn't sleep though. He was too exited to be asleep. He had been out of the house for so the first time since he had been kidnapped and away from Tom for longer than he had managed before.

He was so proud of himself, for not flinching away whenever someone went to touch him. 'If I can do it now, maybe I won't have to work at it in the future!' he thought excitedly. He squirmed around a bit, trying to get comfortable, and Tom glanced at him from across the room. Tom sighed, and said, "Do you want to go home now, Cub?"

Harry looked at him in shock, and said, "No, no, I'm having a good time! I just can't rest right now. Can we go back out to where the rest of them are?"

Tom looked at him in shock, and replied, " I don't remember you ever having this much energy before. You're wearing Severus out very neatly. He doesn't usually look this tired after a class with Neville Longbottom!" Harry looked at him askance, and asked worriedly, "Am I being too demanding? Should we leave before we wear out our welcome?"

Tom sighed again, and said, "No, we're always welcome here, and all of the people out there love you very much. Lets go on out."

Harry hopped up, and bounced out the door before Tom could blink. 'Dear Gods! What happened to the timid little boy that we got at the beginning of the summer?'

Harry was talking to Draco when he went out, and Tom strolled over to where Lucius and Severus. Sirius had gone in for a nap. "Milord, he's changed very much." Observed Lucius sagely. "He is much more happy than earlier." Harry and Draco suddenly ran over to them. Harry looked nervous for a minute, then boldly asked, "Tom, we haven't yet discussed what I will be doing about schooling. I wish to at least complete my seventh year, if not attend University with Draco. May I take tutoring lessons with Draco?"

Tom looked at Harry, and felt his heart nearly melt at the earnest expression on Harry's face. He shook himself, and said, "Well, I had been meaning to talk to you about that. I am glad that you want to be tutored, because I was afraid that you might want to return to Hogwarts. That would be lovely for you to be tutored with Draco, allowing that Lucius and Severus agree."

Both boys turned puppy eyes on the couple, and Severus sighed. "When the baby is born, I will be teaching you my self. Is that acceptable to you Harry? When Harry nodded, Severus gave a small smile and said, "You're always welcome here Harry. Lucius and I have grown very fond of you."

Harry and Draco thanked him effusively, and ran off to talk about their upcoming lessons. Severus turned a grin on Lucius and said, "He's has indeed grown into himself. Watch out Milord, he's likely to be a brash young man as soon as he has his bearings completely."

Tom looked to where Harry and Draco were trying to tug each other in opposite directions, the kitchens and Draco's library, and got a dazed look an his face. "I can't wait for that! He'll be so…" He trailed off and looked at his companions, who were ashen grey, and turned red himself. "I know how you feel about him, sir, but he's like a son to us. It's quite like Draco's girl telling you that he's… he's… I really don't wish to finish this sentence milord, please don't make me." Lucius looked absolutely frantic, and very green.

"Um, so, Draco finally has a girlfriend?" asked Tom, looking a bit green himself.

Severus shook himself, and nodded. "Shocked her quite a bit when she first saw me, being as how I am very obviously preggers. We were both a bit shocked that Draco fancied girls though, seeing as how he has two fathers and always makes sure to exfoliate. We thought for sure that he was into blokes. Oh well, just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover."

Tom nodded absently, and grinned to see Harry win the tug of war, and both boys headed off to the kitchen. The three stood in silence for a few minutes, until Tom said, "It's nice that Harry can have friends his own age. He's got to socialize with people other than my death eaters and I. Hmm, do you think that I should employ some one to be with him? Maybe a village wizard, someone who won't scare him. What's that Severus? No? Why not? Well, maybe he wouldn't appreciate it, yes you're right, stupid idea."

Lucius looked thoughtful for a moment, and then offered, "Why don't we set up a sleepover for the two of them? While it's special and new, as I'm sure that when Harry is being tutored, it will become a normal occurrence." Severus looked at him for a minute, then nodded. "It might be good for Harry, give him something normal. Draco as well, maybe. We should invite Gregory over as well. They practically grew up at Hogwarts, they must miss having dorm mates something terrible. I remember when I first struck out on my own. I actually asked Lucius to come live with me I was so lonely without a peer

to talk to before bed."

The three nodded to each other, and started to make the plans. "Should the mutt be with them? He is more immature than any of them, it might be like a little brother tagging along."


	13. 12

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine, as if JKR would be stupid enough to give up the rights to a treasure trove like that.

A/N So, I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I was having bad eye problems, they burned when I looked at the computer or the T.V… But I'm back, armed with a prescription that really works!

Tom was realizing something about Harry that he wouldn't have thought, with how Harry was so graceful in the air.

Harry was a klutz.

He was so used to pain that he took no second thought to falling down or walking into something, like a table, or a low wall. Thankfully, he was extra aware of himself around the stables, but Tom didn't know how long that would last. Once Harry was comfortable somewhere, he relaxed, and in relaxing, lost his greater motor functions. Tom was seriously considering setting up a group of Death Eaters that's main task was to keep Harry upright.

Tom sighed and turned to the window where he was watching Harry fly. His cub was gracefully flitting around the quidditch pitch that he had set up, effortlessly catching the snitch, and laughing as Draco threw a mini – tantrum at his antics. Tom smiled indulgently as the boys cavorted around the pitch (Draco was now acting as though Harry's head was the snitch, and having as much luck catching Harry as he had the real snitch – none.) He saw the men that he had assigned to watch Harry that day land their brooms and just stare at the two boys who were racing about at breakneck speeds, laughing the whole time.

Tom got up and went to the library, to read until lunchtime. He strolled into the room, and noticed that some of his books were in the wrong order. He strode over to them, and looked up at the section that they were in, and sniggered. His cub was reading Tom's erotic literature! It was priceless, that his little innocent was trying to figure out how to please him. Tom saw a few of the out of order books, and started to laugh even harder. His cub was reading the ones where women and men were involved! Tom tried to stop laughing, but it looked like Harry was reading the books that Bella had left for him, in that phase where she had tried to seduce him! She had left the most sordid romances that she could find, with heroines in a "Tattered but gorgeous gown, with her generous bosom heaving as she looked into Brawn's eyes."

Still laughing, he stumbled over to the special shelf in the library. If you knew what you wanted, the title of the book or the number in the series, then Tom's shelf produced it. Harry used it quite often, for Japanese comics that he had excitedly told Tom were "Manga"

Tom didn't really understand it, but if it kept his cub happy and out of trouble, he might actually _buy_ them someday. Probably Harry didn't know that Tom didn't pay for the books that came off of the shelf, but Harry didn't need to know that.

Tom crouched down in front of the shelf and (after casting a look around the library to make sure that no one was in the room.) called out, "Everything that a gay man needs to know about sex!" The book appeared on the shelf instantly, and Tom grabbed it before heading back to the shelf that his cub had been rummaging through. He put it in it's place, and walked over to his novel section, and pulling out Dead until Dark. He curled up on the nearest chair, and cracked open the many times read book.

Tom was so wrapped up in his book that he missed the chimes for lunch. He looked up when Harry came in. "What's up Tom? The house elves won't let us eat if you're not there, and Severus is getting ready to pitch a fit." Tom glanced at the clock and winced. "Sorry love, I lost track of the time…"

Harry rolled his eyes and started to walk back out the door. As he made it to the frame however, it became clear that Tom had other ideas. Harry gasped as Tom swept him off his feet and started out the door. "Hey! Didn't we agree on warning me before you do that?"

"Well, yes," admitted Tom, "But this is more fun." Tom ducked his head as Harry went to smack him, and laughed. He swung Harry around and onto his hip for the stairs, and descended regally. The effect was ruined when Harry buried his head into the crook of Tom's neck, and Tom bent his head to kiss the top of Harry's head.

'He's finally putting on weight.' Thought Tom with delight. Harry would always be small, due to the malnourishment and lack of treatment for illnesses as a child. Tom was sad that all of the Dursleys were dead already, and that it would be a waste of needed power to raise them to kill again.

Everyone at the foot of the stairs rolled their eyes at the two, and started for the dining room. Severus was in the stage of pregnancy where he waddled, but if a man treasured his reproductive organs, he had better not comment. In this stage, Severus could hardly be held responsible for anything that he did, and even Tom was wary around him.

Lucius sat down, but jumped up immediately. He threw his hands into the air and looked at Severus warily. Severus had pointed his wand at Lucius when he had sat down. 'Think man, THINK!' Lucius thought to himself desperately. For the life of himself (literally!) he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong! Draco silkily asked, "Father, may I push in your chair?"

Severus looked at Draco now, and finally said, "I raised you right, didn't I? Yes, thank you very much."

Draco looked relieved at having saved Lucius, until he realized that he would have to push a very large Severus in. Both Malfoys went very pale, and Severus looked at Draco curiously. "Well? Aren't you going to push me in?"

Draco swallowed, and moved behind his father's chair. Surprisingly though, when Draco pushed, the chair went in as easy as can be. Draco let out the breath that he had been holding, and glanced at Lucius, who gave a small shrug. When he sat down however, the mystery of the light Severus was solved. Tom winked at him, and gave him a small glimpse of his wand. Harry, on the other hand, was trying his best not to laugh out loud. Draco glared at Harry, and Harry excused himself for a minute to collect himself.

When he had come back inside, he took his seat at Tom's side and started in on the grilled cheese sandwiches that they were eating. They ate in silence, and when the house elves came, they sat around for a few minutes. Finally, Severus looked at Harry and asked, "Would you be interested in a sleepover with Draco and Gregory?"

Harry blinked, and replied, "Yeah, that sounds great. When will it be?"

Severus looked to Lucius, who cleared his throat and said, "How does Draco's birthday sound? In case he hasn't told you," Everyone rolled their eyes except for Draco, who had eagerly opened his mouth to tell everyone again, "His birthday is the first of September."

Harry nodded, and said, "It'll go into my day planner. Thank you for inviting me." Tom looked at him strangely, and the Malfoy's got up to go home for the day. When they were alone together, Tom pulled Harry into his lap.

"When did you become mature? Did I help at all, because I think that I missed a big step in the process."

Harry smiled up at him angelically, and Tom knew that Harry was about to ask him for something.

"Maybe it's in your kiss Tom. Do you think that I could get another one, to practice my good manners?"

Tom laughed softly, and leaned down to oblige his cub. 'He's so sweet,' thought Tom. Harry had turned on his lap to face Tom, and opened his mouth to receive Tom's questing tongue. Harry would give small rhythmic moans whenever Tom's tongue found a place in his mouth that he liked, and Tom realized that his cub was purring. Harry tentatively reached his own tongue into Tom's mouth, and Tom wanted to start purring himself when Harry found all of the spots that he enjoyed. A storm had moved in while they had been having lunch, and when Tom took Harry upstairs to have a lie down, Harry pulled Tom into the bed with them.

They had a very nice lazy afternoon, listening to the rain and exploring one another's mouths.


	14. 13

Disclaimer: I make no money off of this… like I could anyway.

Okay, some one asked and yes I am a girl. But wouldn't that have been humiliating if I weren't?

Dumbledore looked out of his window grimly, watching Hedwig fly away with his letter clutched in her claws. He hoped that Harry wouldn't make a fuss, but it just wouldn't do to have a fag, a freak in his domain. Disgusting things really, he thought, absolutely useless if it couldn't turn out more magical creatures.

He sat down at his ornate desk, musing over the state of his world. He was out a potions teacher, Minerva had suddenly decided that fags weren't bad, so he was out a Deputy Headmistress, and he was out a figurehead for the light. 'Maybe I can turn that Granger girl into the next something…'

Meanwhile, Hedwig was having a pleasant journey. She was away from the evil headmaster – she always got the heebie jeebies from that man – and she was off to see her Harry. The sky was blue; the wind was in her favor, and WHACK!

Hedwig had blacked out, Remus saw, and winced as he realized how hard that he had hit the bird. But this needed to be done, and it was the only way that the bird would let him point his wand at the letter that she was delivering. He hurriedly scribbled down two messages onto the paper, waved his wand over it, and gently put it back into Hedwig's

claw. He let himself melt back into the forest that he had come from, and pointed his wand at Hedwig.

"Enervate!" he hissed as quietly as he could, so as not to disturb the daytime creatures of his forest. The bird looked up, and all around before popping up to her feet and taking off, looking rather embarrassed.

Remus watched her go, and prayed that his trick would work.

Harry was in the library reading a book, when a movement in the corner of his eye had him hastily shoving the book between his armchair's cushions and arm. He guiltily looked up and sighed with relief when he realized that it was only Hedwig. He took the letter from her claw, and saw the Hogwarts seal on the front, holding the folded paper together.

He climbed to his feet, and once he was sure that no one was in the library, got out the book to put it back into the erotic section. He headed out of the library and turned left to go to Tom's study. It wasn't far from the library, and soon Harry was knocking at his mate's door.

Tom looked up when there was a knock at his door. He motioned for Draco to open it, and the young man did. Harry was standing in the doorway, looking a little bit apprehensive.

"Tom, might I ask why the Malfoys are here?" Harry enquired politely, if a little bit stiffly. He thought that he was being left out of something, because it had been decided long ago that if Draco could hear it, Harry could.

"They arrived here just now Harry, we were all going to discuss the sleepover that is tonight, remember?" Tom asked with a small smile, knowing that if Harry had been in the library, he had gotten wrapped up in whatever he was doing and had totally forgotten. Harry had a habit of doing that, no matter what he was reading.

Harry blushed a little bit, he had forgotten. He shook his head mutely and handed the letter to Tom. "I would have opened it myself, but I wanted to be sure that there were no spells on it."

Severus gave Harry a small and very awkward hug. It was awkward because Severus was eight months in and as big around as a beach ball. Harry gave Lucius a small wave, which was returned. Tom brought their attention back to himself by whipping out his wand and waving it over the letter.

"No spells that could cause harm or hypnotize Harry, go ahead and read it."

Harry reached for the letter, only for Tom to snag his wrist and pull Harry into his lap. Harry was so used to it by now that he didn't even blush, but he did shake his head as he opened the letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter, _

The letter began, the flowing script identical to the handwriting that was in his beginning of term letters.

_I am writing to inform you that you are not welcome to Hogwarts this year, as your kind are not welcome here. If and when you see the error of your ways, you are welcome to write myself or any of my staff to seek re-admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Until then, _

_Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster_

_Nadia Sinisrta, Deputy Headmistress and Gryfindor house head_

_Harry, its me Remus. I pass no judgment, (hell, I've no right to pass judgment!) I only wish to know that you are okay. Is Sirius there? How is Snape? Please owl me back as soon as possible, I miss you very much._

Harry pulled a thoughtful face at the last part, and looked up at Tom, expecting to see the same look on his face. What he saw was very different though. Tom looked absolutely furious, and was practically shaking with rage. Harry looked back down at the letter to see if he had read something that Ron had not said to him… earlier.

Tom snatched the letter from him and practically threw it to Lucius.

"I want you to find this Remus person and kill him for so insulting what is MINE!" roared Tom, as he pulled Harry in closer to him.

"My lord, what on earth would Lupin have written to offend you? He's homosexual, and used to be involved with the mutt. Plus, I know as a fact that he absolutely adores Harry, had since the day that Harry was born." Severus observed confusedly.

Harry tried to twist around and look at Tom but Tom had put Harry's head under his chin and was holding him quite firmly. Finally Harry gave up on looking at Tom and said, (albeit his voice was very muffled) "Tom, what did he say that was wrong? It was a very polite, if hurried note."

Tom pulled back to stare at Harry in disbelief. "What part of that note was polite? Some of that language I don't hear my lowest Death Eaters use!"

Harry stared at him in shock as Severus snatched the letter from Lucius to see. Severus' face lost all of its blood, and Harry again asked, "What?" Draco reached for the letter, but all of the men in the room over twenty one glared at him, and his hand wilted back to his side.

Harry said, "But all that it asked was how was I and were was Sirius? What's wrong with that?" Tom looked at him oddly. Severus looked from Harry to the letter, and Lucius looked as though he had turned to marble, not a muscle on his body moving. One could barely see him breathing.

Harry cocked his head to the side and thought, 'I know that I read it right. There's no way that you can mistake what I read for what they must be seeing to be so offended.'

Tom took the letter back from Snape, and after telling Harry to turn around so that he wouldn't see it again, waved his wand over the paper. Nothing changed and he frowned. "Harry, hon, there are no spells on this letter." Harry whirled around and grabbed Tom's hand. "I did not hallucinate what I saw Tom. You must see it!"

Suddenly Tom frowned and said slowly, "I do now Harry. What did you do to change it?"

"Nothing" replied Harry in confusion. "Was it the bond?"

Tom's face paled dramatically, and he locked eyes with Lucius. "Lucius, isn't the mating season for Veela and Vampires coming up?"


	15. 14

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money off of this…

Harry twisted even more to look at the letter again and sucked in a breath that went un-noticed by the older men.

'My god, I didn't even know that Remus knew those words!' thought Harry, absolutely fascinated with the foul letter.

- I will post the letter on AFF and forever fandom, as I am not sure how bad the language can get before you're thrown off of Fan fiction…-

Tom looked down to see Harry reading the letter, and snatched it before tapping it with his wand to incinerate it. He rolled his eyes at Draco's disappointed groan and asked, "Well Lucius? Is it or is it not near mating season?"

Lucius sucked down a gulp and nodded slowly. Severus cursed and swung around to look at Lucius. "You should have known so that we could have explained it to Harry in advance! You DUNDERHEAD!" Lucius cringed and Harry felt Tom's grip on him tighten. Harry looked up at Tom in confusion, and asked softly, "Tom, it's just Severus and Luc. Why are you nervous?"

Tom looked down at Harry stonily and replied stiffly, "I am not nervous. The need to protect you is… more prominent now than it was before. Lucius, Severus," Tom continued in a louder voice, "Harry and I have much to talk about, and I am afraid that the sleepover must be postponed. I shall see you later."

Harry had sagged a little at the news that the sleepover was postponed but realized that something important was happening. The Malfoys all stood and went back out the fireplace. Harry started to get up, but Tom dragged him back down and stood. Harry clutched at Tom, having a moment of vertigo at the sudden change in height. Tom strode out of the room and headed back towards the library.

Harry stared listlessly at the green walls around them, and thought on what had been said. He had not clue one about what mating season could do to affect his seeing the letter. Tom swept into the library with Harry clutched tightly to his chest. "Harry," Tom began as he strode past the stacks of books. "Have you noticed that you have been having less nightmares? I have. I also noticed what kind of dream was replacing them."

Harry chose not to say anything. The nightmares had been bad, visions of everything that had affected him, but Tom had always been there, and Harry would forget before morning. They hadn't been a big deal. His daytime terrors had been worse, and the thing that he focused on and agonized about and terrorized himself into having. But those to had decreased, as long as he was near Tom. He had assumed that that was because Tom was his mate, his alpha, or dominant mate at that. But now that he thought about it, instead of needing Tom less, Harry had been cutting his time at the stables so that he could talk with Tom, or just be with Tom.

Harry blushed as he remembered the dream he had had just that night. He hadn't known that there was a mating season, but the more that he thought about it, the more sense that it made.

Tom flopped down onto a couch with Harry on top of him. Tom was flat on his back while Harry folded his hands on his chest and put his chin on his hands. "So Tom, how would the bond affect the note?"

Tom contemplated Harry for a minute, and responded, "Well, the closer to mating season, the closer the bond. You wanted to see what I saw and you wanted me to see what you saw so that I wouldn't kill the werewolf. I know that you would never have seen the note if not for the bond, so we'll bring him here as he wishes. However, we need to talk about mating season."

Harry squirmed around so that he would be more comfortable, and settled in to hear Tom out.

"The bond intensifies for mates who have not completed the mating season. The absolute completion of the bond will be at the first time that I enter you. It cements itself throughout the love-making and when we complete, the bond will be sated."

Harry had started to blush when Tom had first started to talk about sex, but now he thought that he must look like a tomato.

"Before then though, I will have certain…needs. Have you noticed that I am more likely to want you to touch me? Sit in my lap, let me carry you, hold your hand? I will need to know that you want only me. I have been fighting the strangest urges to get you flowers or stuffed toys, and chocolates, the things that humans woo their mates with…"

Harry looked thoughtful at the mention of a stuffed toy, and absolutely ecstatic at the mention of chocolate.

"… and that may have been coming through the bond. I will pick up on your wants apparently, and try to cater to them. I want your acceptance, your submission, and your heart."

Harry looked at Tom oddly, and murmured, "I thought that you had those."

Tom relaxed quite a bit, and Harry had to squirm again so that he would not fall off. "Yes, well, it does help to hear you say it. Ah! No kissing until we are done. No pouting either."

Harry pouted.

"Anyway, the bond will dictate that we get closer and closer. Now we are independent of each other, but if we don't cement the bond soon, there will be stages of neediness that I will go through. Now I simply want your attention, but soon I will need your touch. I will then need you to focus on nothing but me. As for you. As you are the human and the submissive, as I go through these stages, you will get sharp pains or headaches if I can't see you in about a week. You will get these pains if I am not touching you in around three weeks."

Harry looked at him in shock. "So soon? Well, I guess that we were going to do it soon anyway…"

Tom snickered softly and said, "Yes I had seen that my erotic section was out of order. Trying to prepare yourself?"

Harry turned several shades of red and smacked Tom in the side. He got up from Tom quickly, before Tom could grab him, and laughing, ran toward the door. Tom popped up and raced after Harry. "Do you realize that you just hit the Dark Lord? Most people would be killed for that!"

Harry turned and blew a raspberry at Tom before darting out the door. Tom stood still in shock before yelling, "Ready or not, it's payback time!"

The two ran on a merry romp through the house, scaring the House elves (Luckily there was no one around to see the Dark Lord fall to a case of the giggles) and taunting each other. Finally Harry dashed into the bedroom that they shared, and Tom yelled, "Gotcha!"

Harry shrieked as Tom started to tickle him, and squirmed around in the most delightful ways. Finally Harry's cries for mercy were answered, and Tom swooped down to cover Harry's mouth with his own. Soon the two were undulating on the bed, and their kisses were going farther than they ever had before.

Harry glanced up at Tom's face shyly as his trousers and boxers were removed, and he looked down at Tom. Harry felt his eyes bug, and he thought, 'That's supposed to go where?' Tom looked at Harry's face, and knew that he had to wait a little longer before he could bury himself into his cub. But that didn't mean that they couldn't do other things.


	16. 15

Disclaimer: I am still not making any money off of this.

(Yeah… if you went to any of the other sites, you'll have seen that Tom and Harry went further at the end of the chapter than on woke up in the middle of the night with a need for the little boy's room. Unfortunately for him, Tom was wrapped around him. He squirmed a bit, and Tom groaned and pulled Harry tighter against him. Harry bit his lip and clenched his legs tighter together. He wriggled around some more, and managed to get a little bit further away from Tom.

Suddenly Tom's eyes flew open, and Harry nearly wet the bed at the look in his eyes.

Tom was looking at him with hunger, and something that Harry couldn't quite place, but that made his stomach quiver.

Tom was running on instincts and exhaustion, and his instincts were telling him that his un-bonded submissive was trying to get away. It was a challenge to his ability to protect the submissive!

Tom rolled on top of Harry, getting a whimper from Harry as weight was applied to his taxed bladder. Tom wasn't saying anything, just looking like he expected something. Tom's instincts were telling him that his mate would show his place before he would move, but Harry didn't know how to show submission.

Harry looked up at Tom fearfully, and asked, "Tom, Tom, what's wrong? Are you even awake?"

Tom blinked at Harry. Harry's tone had been enough to put his instincts on the backburner. Harry was resisting the urge to squirm, when Tom rolled off of him.

Harry popped up faster than a Jack in a box, and raced for the bathroom. Tom sat on the bed and stared after Harry in confusion. He didn't understand what had just happened, and it irked him. Suddenly he hung his head. He needed to get a better hold on himself! What if he had scared Harry into remembering his attack? Damn, but Tom felt dumb right then.

Harry stood at the sink washing his hands. What was that look on Tom's face? Had he done something wrong? He felt a pang in his chest now that his needs were taken care of, what was that from?

Questions unanswered, he made his way back into the room that he and Tom looked up at him. Harry felt his breath leave his chest at the look on Tom's face.

Tom wanted to groan. His damned instincts were back, but at least he had some control over them.

"Harry, come here. NOW. We seem to have reached a new stage."

Harry felt something inside him react to Tom's tone and face, and he rushed over to sit next to Tom. Harry looked at Tom for approval 'Approval? Since when do I feel like this?' and saw that Tom's jaw was clenched shut. Harry could feel the same thing inside of him that had looked for approval shaking.

Tom reached out and snagged Harry off of the bed and on top of himself. Harry was in the same position as he had been at the library, sprawled on top of Tom. Tom gave a groan of relief and wrapped his arms around Harry. Harry felt the pang in his chest go away, and he to groaned. Tom rolled them onto their sides and tucked Harry up underneath his chin after pulling the blankets up. "We'll talk about this in the morning cub. Right now we're both too tired."

Harry didn't reply, as a wave of content had dragged him into sleep.

When morning came, Tom woke before Harry and spent the time that he had staring at his mate and thinking of what to tell him when he woke.

Harry woke slowly and was content to stay exactly where he was. He was warm, comfortable, and had no pressing needs for food, drink, or the disposal of either. He snuggled in a little bit, and Tom started to rub circles on his back while he was thinking.

The part of Harry that had been shaking last night was happy, and Harry actually began to purr. He didn't notice it at first, but Tom was looking at him strangely. In a small experiment, he stopped rubbing Harry's back, and the boy looked up at him with a bleary pout. But the purring had stopped.

Tom started to rub Harry's back again, and the purring started again. Harry was content, right up until he noticed that the motor noise was coming from himself. He gave a small jump, and buried himself against Tom. 'Oh God, Oh God, why me, always weird!' He gave a small sniffle, and Tom rolled so that Harry was sitting on top of him.

"Well, I guess that we have research for McNair to do, don't we? I had no idea that you had any kind of magical creature in you. Buck up cub, it's not going to change how anyone sees you. The Malfoys have Veela blood, and Snape has vampire blood the same as I do. It's not a huge deal at all. Wizards and witches can make a child with anything, which is how we've lasted for so long."

Tom growled when Harry got off of him, and caught the boy's hand. Harry looked at him with big doe eyes, and Tom sighed. "And please don't stop touching me."

Still holding his cub's hand, he towed Harry while he went across the room to his fire place. He leaned into the fire place while tossing the floo into it. "McNair!" he called, "I have work for you."

His servant quickly bowed down in front of the fire place. "Yes sir?"

"Look up my mate's lineage, it would seem that he has some sort of creature blood in him, and I am curious as to what it is."

McNair nodded and went to go to the ministry and look it up.

Tom pulled his head out of the fire place and turned to look at Harry. "Well cub, how about a bath, hmm?"

Harry nodded, and the two of the set of for the bathroom, still hand in hand. Disrobing was a little bit difficult, but with some handy flexibility from Harry's side, they were soon undressed and immersed in hot water.

Tom could feel arousal building at the sight of his small mate's toned body, slicked and soaped, but pushed it down, thinking that Harry would still be frightened of him.

They finished washing, dried and went downstairs for a meal. They ate in silence, with Harry's leg draped across Tom's lap. Afterwards they sat there still, until McNair came.

He looked a little green around the gills, and said, "My lord, you will not believe what he is!"


	17. 16

Disclaimer: H.P.'s not mine. I am not making any money off of this.

Tom stared at the man, and asked, "Is it highly upsetting? You look a bit ill."

McNair shook his head and sat heavily. "My Lord, you know that muggle – born children's families usually have a flare up of magic sooner than the witch or Wizard that occurs, but I am not sure that Young Potter here knows. Mister Potter, it would seem that you had a great- great Grandmother who was a witch on the Evans side."

McNair paused for breath, and continued. "She was very powerful witch who became an animagus, a cat. My Lord, she mated with a tom cat, and had a litter!"

Tom stared at McNair open mouthed, and finally said, "And Harry's great grandparent came from that litter?"

McNair nodded, and Tom looked at Harry appraisingly. "Well, I guess that you aren't my 'Cub' anymore kitten."

Harry looked shocked, but slowly nodded.

'My God, now Tom will hate me, why couldn't I at least be a magical creature?'

Harry was so wrapped up in his angst that he almost missed what Tom said next.

"Now you'll be my kitten! Would you like to get a cat for the house?" asked Tom, eager to wipe the desolate look off of his Kit's face.

Harry gave him a look of such hope that it nearly broke his heart. "Kit, did you really think that that would drive me away? You're mine now."

Harry let relief wash over him, and asked, "Why would I start acting like a cat now?"

Tom and McNair both started to talk, and with a superior look from Tom, McNair shut his mouth and lowered his head. "Kit, wizards with mixed species heritages seem to keep those genes separate from their human ones until puberty, when they begin to fuse. I suppose that your malnutrition kept puberty at bay until the last possible minute."

"Also, the genes may start to bond slowly, so I would expect that over many months, your cat genes will show up."

Harry nodded to show that he understood, and started to fidget in his chair. Tom dismissed McNair with a wave of his hand, and the tall man left quickly. Harry grabbed Tom's hand and led him out to the barns.

"Kit, you can't not touch me, so why would we be here?" Tom asked quietly. He knew that his Kit was out here often, almost as often as he was in the library, and Harry said,

"Tom, I want to ride, and you have plenty of horses here who could take the two of us."

Tom looked down at Harry, sighed, and nodded. "Alright, fine. Where do you want to go?"

Harry looked at Tom with his brilliant and huge green eyes, and asked, "Will you take me on a trail ride?"

Tom thought about just how much his arse would hurt before the day was over, and how saddle sore that he would be, but could he deny Harry? No.

"That sounds like a fine idea Harry, I'll take you somewhere special. Groom! Ready us Sultan."

The grooms bustled about to get the horse ready, and soon the massive thoroughbred stallion was stamping his foot in anticipation. Tom could feel the anticipation and excitement thrumming through Harry as the young man petted the horse's nose. Soon Tom was swinging Harry up onto the bareback pad and swinging his own tall leg over the horse to mount behind Harry.

Harry took the reins and gently chucked to the horse to move past the arena.

Soon the group was into the small forest that surrounded much of Tom's property, and Harry heaved a small sigh.

"Tom, won't people think it wrong that my relative had children with a cat? I mean, they're no more magical than any other muggle."

Tom, who had his arms lazily resting over Harry's stomach, tsk-ed Harry, and accidentally made Sultan pick up a trot. Harry just took it in stride and started to post from his knees as he had been taught, but it had been a while for Tom.

Tom just sat the fast paced trot, and knew that his bum would suffer for it later. He envied his young mate his powerful thighs, and Harry giggled at Tom for his weaker ones.

"Maybe I'll start to come out and ride with you once we bond…" Grumbled a disgruntled Tom once Sultan had slowed to a walk.

"And you shouldn't care what anyone else thinks. You are your own person very much, and this is just another part of that. Your real friends and family won't care, and you don't need to worry about anyone else." Tom said matter of factly.

"Now, look ahead, I have something absolutely breath taking to show you, just beyond these trees…"


	18. 17

Disclaimer: Still not making any money off of this. Please don't sue.

Sultan picked a path through the brush, and Harry could feel his excitement welling up in his chest. The two of them ducked as they went through the branches to protect their eyes, and Harry let out a gasp as he looked up.

The wind rushing around them had Sultan's mane whipping around, and Tom just let out a sigh as he took in the sight that was very familiar to him. The two of them just sat and stared at the sheer cliff face across the large valley from them. Tom knew from past experience that over the ledge that was about twenty meters away, that the cliff on their side was almost identical to the one that they faced.

Harry took in the beautiful cliff, and craned his neck back to look at Tom. "How did you know about this place Tom? It's gorgeous."

Tom looked at Harry, and suddenly realized why he liked it so much. Bringing a hand up to caress Harry's face he said, "I found it when I was touring my property. It was so gorgeous, unadorned, and I stood on the edge and looked down, and nearly lost myself in it's depths."

Harry let his breath catch, and Sultan shifted beneath them.

"Once we bond, Harry, I'll show you what it was like to freefall off of the edge. You use a charm, you see, to catch yourself, and float back up and do it all over again." Tom was staring into Harry's eyes, and added, "But some depths you don't have to stop the fall."

He leaned down and captured Harry's lips. The cliff reminded him of Harry. So beautiful, while being simple, yet deep. Tom may not have known that he was thinking of his mate when he first saw the area, but now he knew for sure what had drawn him there time and time again.

Harry broke the kiss to gasp for breath, when Tom moved his hands up and stole the reins from Harry. He quietly turned Sultan around and pointed the horse homeward. Harry leaned back against Tom and thought about completing the bond. He knew from one of Tom's books that it wouldn't have to hurt, but what Goyle had done scared him greatly.

He inhaled deeply, smelling Sultan, the woods, and most importantly, Tom. One of the reasons that he had been so happy that Tom would be around him after the attack was the calming scent the Tom had on him. While Harry could smell the disgusting man on him, Tom was putting out… pheromones? Maybe it was a vampire to mate thing, because he was pretty sure that cat's only marked territory.

Tom was well aware of his pheromones, and used them quite often. He was using them now, so that Harry would let him do the steer the horse home. He supposed that it was his male ego, a testosterone driven thing. Harry's hadn't, he had merely been showing off to Tom, looking for praise. Tom was viewing it in different ways. More like riding off into the sunset with his… well, Harry wasn't really a damsel…

Harry rubbed his head against Tom's chest, and relaxed with the rolling motion of the horse. He knew that if he were to be stuck inside with Tom for very much longer, he would go stir crazy. But you can't bond because of something that stupid, now can you?

Harry knew that he loved Tom, and that Tom loved him, but he had to know why Tom loved him again. Tom had to say it more often, and the reasons why.

Harry pouted over that for a minute, and then sat up abruptly and took the reins back. "Be ready Tom!" Was tossed over his shoulder before they came across a meadow the led back to the stables, and Harry kicked Sultan up to a canter. He felt Tom wrap his arms around his waist and took the pressure off of Sultan's right rein.

Tom was having a blast as the stables came into view, and Harry slowed the horse a bit. Harry started posting, and the horse started trotting. Tom bounced around for a minute before regaining his equilibrium and posting with Harry. As soon as he started posting however, the horse slowed to a walk. Harry didn't say anything to him.

Harry was a little bit upset with Tom for not actually telling him that he loved him. It completely slipped his mind that he didn't tell Tom that, but there you go. Harry coolly waited for Tom to dismount, and call the stable hands. Harry tossed himself off of the horse, snagged Tom's hand and started to stride for the house.

"Love, love, what's the matter?" Tom asked. Harry was walking faster than usual. Harry suddenly whipped around and stared up at him.

"D'you really mean it Tom?" Harry asked breathlessly.

Tom stared at him for a minute, and thought over everything that he had said. "Harry, are you talking about the diving? You don't have to if you don't want to."

Harry felt his face fall. "No Tom. The love. D'you mean it?"

Tom looked at Harry with a small frown. "Of course I do. You are the one destined for me, my perfect match. You complete me in every way. I thought that you knew that."

Harry felt his face light up. "Say it more often Tom! I love you to!"

That was the only warning that Tom had before Harry launched himself into his arms and knocked both of them over. Harry started to rub himself on Tom, moaning, "Bond with me, please!"

Tom looked down at Harry, and it took every ounce of his considerable self control (Not that he had been exercising a lot of it with Harry) not to take his mate right then and there on the front lawn.

He grabbed Harry and stumbled for the house. Realizing about halfway there that he wouldn't make it, he grabbed Harry closer and apparated them both to the bedroom. When he had seen them in the bedroom though, he hadn't imagined clothes, and some very confused house-elves were dispatched to pick up the master's clothes from the lawn.

Tom shook himself, and made Harry look him in the eye. "Harry, are you sure? We can still- mmf!"

Harry had cut him off with a kiss. The heat was consuming him, and he was sure that Tom could make him feel so good. Where had this come from? Harry decided that he didn't care. He only wanted to rub against Tom more.

It didn't take long for Tom to be whispering a lubrication and contraceptive spell before Harry's main itch was scratched and he keened happily as he was filled. Tom was making him feel so good… Harry never wanted it to stop.

But of course it had to, and Harry screamed before passing out. Tom managed to stay conscious long enough to see the glow surround the both of them, only to sink into their skin. Tom felt the complete content with his life at the moment of joining, and proceeded to pass out, at peace with the fact that now Harry was completely his.

Meanwhile, even in his sleep, Harry started to toss, feeling as though he were baking in an oven.

AN: I know that Harry did a 180, but it will be explained in the next chapter!


	19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, and nothing that I write could possibly outsell the bible.

Tom flinched as he woke up, a sharp pain radiating from his thigh on out. He felt the bed moving and looked over to notice that Harry was tossing and turning.

"Harry, wake up…" Tom mumbled. He reached over and shook Harry's shoulder.

Harry didn't react well. At all.

As Harry woke up he kicked out at the thing that was so hot. So hot, so hot, he must be on fire, about to melt from the inside out! Then the heat got worse in his shoulder, and he kicked out as hard as he could to dislodge it.

Unfortunately, "It" was Tom, and you can guess where Harry kicked him. Tom spent a few minutes writhing on the floor with his hands on his crotch, trying to breathe around the burning pain in his stomach. Harry sat up and raced for the bathroom in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the heat.

When Tom got up after around ten minutes, thinking that his kit sure could hit hard, he staggered into the bathroom to check on his bonded.

When he opened the door, he heard Harry make a weird noise. Squinting, Tom was surprised that the shower door wasn't fogged over, because Harry liked hot showers. Harry was sitting on the floor, Tom could see, curled around his middle.

Harry glared at Tom. He felt so hot, and he was so frustrated at the moment! He felt frazzled, and snappy. He didn't want anyone to touch him right now. His mate came closer, and Harry glared at him through the glass. He would give anything to be able to voice his displeasure, but his throat hurt too badly. He decided to show Tom how he was feeling.

Tom watched as his mate turned away from him, and he opened the door to the shower so that the two of them could speak normally. He hadn't noticed that Harry had been filling his hands with icy cold water. He gasped and sputtered as Harry hit him in the face with the water and when Tom stumbled back, Harry closed the door. Tom decided that he needed help.

As he went to Fire call the Malfoys, again, Harry contentedly drank the cool water that was cascading from the shower head. He was feeling a lot better now that his mate was gone. Harry could feel that his hair had reacted to his earlier heat and frustration by frizzing and kinking, and he reached around to grab his conditioner. He heaved a sigh as he put his head under the water to get it wet, and felt even better. Forgetting that he had planned to put in conditioner, he just sat and let himself cool off even more.

Tom sat in the other room, worrying about his bonded. He fidgeted about in his chair, and finally got up to pace when Lucius came in. He looked a his lord, before holding the door open for Severus.

Severus was due to deliver in about a week, so the medi- witches had put a depressor on his magic. The first time that he had delivered, they had left his magic untouched, and it had ended badly for all of the males in the room.

Draco had been born missing a few bits. Severus had cursed every man in the room, save himself, with a nasty bit of wand- less magic that made their privates disappear, causing mass mayhem.

As Tom told the two of them his problem, Severus' stomach growled. Lucius heaved a sigh, and conjured up a tub of pickles and a jar of pinkish liquid that Tom couldn't identify.

"Cherry juice." Was Lucius' tired explanation as Severus eagerly pulled a pickle out of the tub and dunked it into the juice. 'eew,' thought Tom.

While they were thinking about the night's events, and Harry, Severus got up and went into the bathroom. He saw Harry, but he didn't say anything, just stood in front of the toilet and scowled at his bloated stomach, cursing the havoc that the baby wreaked on his bladder.

Harry was shocked at Severus' sudden lack of decorum, and ducked his head back under the spray in embarrassment. Both men in the bathroom noticed that Harry didn't seem to much care about Severus' presence in the room. Severus finished and went to wash his hands. Finally he sat down on the toilet and yelled to Harry, "Are you pregnant!"

Harry frowned and shook his head. Severus nodded and yelled, "That's good!" After that the two men sat in companionable silence, with just the sound of rushing water around them.

Tom and Lucius couldn't hear what was going on in the bathroom, and decided to go on in. Harry glared at them, and Severus could feel Harry's agitation. 'Dominants,' he thought, 'put out different pheromones than us submissives. He is reacting to that, not wanting to be around… beings that could get him pregnant! His body is trying to tell him that it's wrong for right now.'

As Severus pieced the puzzle together, Harry drew his magic to him, and cold water flew from every tap to come together and form a large column that hit Lucius right in the gut, throwing him back and into Tom, and both of them turned tail and ran.

Harry finally shut off the water, feeling a lot better. Severus looked at him for a moment, and said, "You're in heat, right?" Harry scowled and nodded.

"But you don't want to have babies yet, right?"

Harry scowled and nodded again.

"So your body is trying to tell you that you're to young, and to stay away from sex now that you've bonded. That's good, sixteen year olds don't need to be having babies, no matter how secure their future is or how mature they are. So stay away from my Lord for a while. I would offer for you to come to the manor, but Lucius and Draco are extremely alpha."

Harry nodded and said in a weak, scratchy voice, "Tom has a set of rooms for me to use when I need them, I can use those."

In the next room, Lucius stared at the bathroom door and asked Tom, "Do you think that we can get Howitzer to inject Harry with a sleep potion like he did Severus?


	20. 19

Disclaimer: It's not mine and I make no money off of it.

Sorry that it took so long to update but I was riding this thoroughbred and then… I wasn't. I broke my wrist and got a bone bruise on my tailbone… OW. So, I had a cast and a bottle of Vicoden. Whoopee for me…

Severus stuck his head out of the bathroom and told both of them to clear out because Harry was moving to his rooms. Tom grumbled but got up, and Lucius was out the door the minute that Severus had told him to go.

Harry climbed out of the tub and numbly led Severus to his rooms. They were very large, with navy blue curtains over the windows and a very pale red color on the walls. Severus plopped down in the nearest chair and looked around expectantly. Harry blinked at him and Severus heaved a sigh.

"Harry, I don't think that I can stay with you, I need Lucius around. I am sure that we can find someone to be with you…"

Harry nodded his understanding, and Severus mumbled, "Lucius always gets me the pickles… Damn it, I want my pickles… Harry, help me up, I'm gonna go eat some pickles."

Harry just quietly heaved Severus to his feet, and let the man mutter to himself. Severus had started for the door when he suddenly turned around and flung his arms around a soaking wet Harry.

"Harry, it's going to be alright this is normal and Tom loves you and I love you and so does Lucius! You're going to be so great through this I know you are!"

Harry patted Severus' side as the hormonal man started to cry, occasionally stopping to tell Harry that he was proud of him. Suddenly Severus arms clutched harder at Harry and Severus started to wail. Harry was having the breath squeezed out of him when Severus sobbed, "I'm having a baby!"

Harry frowned before gasping, "Duh."

Severus sobbed even harder and wailed, "My water just broke! I'm gonna have a baby!"

'Oh, shit,' Harry thought, 'that can't be good. He needs to go away before he can have a baby.'

Severus suddenly sat down and pulled Harry down with him. Harry floundered and Severus rocked back and forth. Finally Harry got in a breath of air (How, he had no idea) and pointed his index finger out straight to write a word in the air.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Tom and Lucius were greeting a guest. Remus Lupin had chosen that day to come. Tom was moping over the fact that his mate couldn't stand to be around him during mating season, and Lucius was cheerily greeting the werewolf. Lucius had just decided to go fire call Sirius when a very strained word floated down the stairs and passed in front of all of the men in the room.

"Help." Read Remus, with a bit of shock in his voice. Tom whirled around and darted through the house, Lucius and Remus quickly following after him. Tom rushed through the hallways, intent on Harry's rooms.

Harry watched the door burst open and Tom burst through with his wand drawn. He did a double take when he saw Harry and Severus, and Harry gasped "Baby!"

Lucius barreled into the room and swore. He had stopped his forward movement suddenly, so Lupin slammed straight into him. Lucius flew a short distance before smashing into the Dark Lord, sending all of the Dominants sprawling onto the floor.

Even on the floor, Lucius started to frantically pat at all of his pockets, looking for a portkey. He finally found it and scrambled towards Harry and Severus. Tom crawled over as well and all of them touched the portkey, leaving poor Remus alone in the house.

Harry felt Severus let up slightly as they arrived in Howitzer's office and dragged in a huge breath of air while he could. Howitzer strolled out of his office and let out a low whistle. "Well, Mister Potter, it looks like you have a bit of a problem on your hands. Severus isn't going to let up on you if he's in labor."

"I'm in labor." Deadpanned Severus.

"Well then, let's get you up off of the floor then." Replied Howitzer cheerily.

Lucius levitated Harry and Severus up and onto the bed, and everyone settled in to wait for the baby. Harry didn't dare squirm, for Severus might start squeezing him again, and he most defiantly didn't want that.

Tom conjured himself a book and stayed as far away from Harry as he could, and, well, Lucius was such a nervous wreck that he didn't even register on Harry's heat radar. Howitzer flitted around, humming constantly, pocking and prodding and annoying the hell out of Harry and Severus.

Finally, three hours later, Severus squeezed Harry, making the poor boy yelp. There had been contractions before, but this time Howitzer chirped, "Here comes the baby! Push, my man, push!"

Severus yelled, Harry groaned, and Tom put down his book. Lucius put his hands on Severus shoulder, and was whispering to his mate sweet nothings. Harry finally just decided that he was in the most awkward situation that anyone had ever been in.

Then Severus bit him.

Harry yelled, and Howitzer chirped, "One more heave-ho my man!"

Severus pushed one last time, and out came the baby. Harry felt the stomach beneath him become a bit smaller, and Severus released his hold on Harry, who rolled to the side, panting.

Howitzer beamed at Severus and said, "Would you look at the cute little baby!"

Severus gasped, "Is it a boy or a girl?"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 20

You know, I'm highly tempted to make the kid a boy, since so many people said to make a girl!

Harry lay on his side on the bed, feeling hot and irritated again – only this time it was because he had been in Severus' embrace for four hours.

He barely heard Howitzer announce that the baby was a beautiful red headed; blue eyed boy – but he did hear it. He also heard the resulting shouts from the proud parent, and from behind a partition so he wouldn't witness any 'icky stuff', Draco's confused, "We're not related to the Weasleys!"

Everyone was looking at Howitzer as he tittered, "Oh, sorry, just a little joke!"

"NOT FUNNY." Said Lucius and Severus at the same time.

"Err, well then. I suppose that you'll be happier to hear that it's a tiny female Severus? Black hair, black eyes, and a – well – prominent nose."

"Well, if you could heal my shoulder now, I'll be headed back to my shower." Harry said, wishing that he could stop feeling frustrated for no reason, and getting frazzled because of it.

"Of course, we'll just wait for Severus to – "

"NOW!!!!!!!!" Harry exploded. He just wanted to go, he wanted out, he needed –

He felt the sting of everyone's glares on him, and burst into tears. It wasn't his fault that he felt this way, he just did!

Everyone immediately softened, and he felt his shoulder being healed as he sobbed into his hands. He started to run out of the room when he felt a breeze on his back side, and remembered what had happened to Severus. He let his feet fly in front of him so that he landed on the floor, and saw the needle fly over his head to imbed in a nearby cabinet.

"Let him go in peace!" Hissed Severus, "He knows what he needs to do, and you'll just make him feel worse – and keep me from sleeping!"

Howitzer had the grace to look ashamed, and waved Harry out the door. Harry pulled his pants up, and dashed out to the nearest bathroom and turned on the shower.

Back in the delivery room, Severus had claimed his child, and without naming her, curled up around her and slept. Lucius sat at their bedside and just gazed at his family with pride. Even Draco had come out from his hiding place to see his new little sister.

Tom was still in the corner, smiling at his Death Eaters – whom, he supposed, were also his friends – and wishing that Harry were in a better frame of mind to enjoy the moment.

"What are you going to name her?" He asked, and in a small part of his mind wondering what he would name his own children, when they came along.

"Do we look stupid to you?" asked Draco incredulously, "Dad gets to name her when he wakes up. I don't want to be hexed today, thank you very much."

Tom chuckled, and thought 'I'll go check on Harry now. Let them have their peace and family moment.'

He walked out into the hall, closing the door to his infirmary behind him. Harry had inspired him with the words written in the air earlier, so he traced some words in the air, and sent them to go find Harry.

"I hope that you feel better soon my love, is there anything that I can do for you now?" Harry read aloud as he furiously scrubbed the sweat and other things from his skin. 'Aww, how sweet!' Harry thought, 'even when I'm a troll to be around, he tries to be caring!'

Harry could feel the heat dissipating from his skin, and wrote back.

Tom felt his jaw drop as he read Harry's response.

'I'm fine for now, I guess I'll see you in a week or so when the heats over with! Love ya lots, and see you soon.'

"A week??" Tom whined, "That's way too long!"

What was he going to do without his little kitten? There was NO way that he was going to stand for this! He started to storm to the bathroom that Harry was in when he heard a chuckle.

He turned to see Remus, who had read Harry's note to Tom. "What's so funny, were-wolf?"

"If you think that you're going to see Harry before he wants to be seen, you're due for a reality check." Remus said.

"He learned to sneak from Sirius and me, and when cornered, he has pranked better than us. I suggest that you leave him be and let all this work out. Else wise, you may lose something important to you. Just ask Sirius what happened to his middle toes." Nodding sagely, Remus turned and walked towards the room where Sirius' scent was the strongest. He knew that it would be a while before anyone took him to his friend, and just to bask in his scent would tide him over until Lucius or Draco took him to see Sirius.

Meanwhile, back at Malfoy Manor, Sirius tapped his finger on the dinner table. 'Where are they?' he thought furiously. He called the house elf again, who again informed him that he would get dinner when there was a Malfoy at the table, and not before then.

Sirius sighed, and resigned himself to going to bed without supper.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 21

Harry happily raced outside to the stables, glad that he had thought to place a cooling charm on himself until the heat was over. He still couldn't bear the thought of having one of the more dominant of his friends, or Tom around him, but at least he could sleep and function by himself.

He slipped into the tack room to look at the groom's schedule for the horses. He looked under the exercise column and saw that one of his favorite mares, Rosie, was due for a ride. He gathered up her tack box and left it by the crossties on his way to her stall. He snagged her halter from its hook next to her stall, and went in to call her.

Tom heaved a huge sigh as he watched from a window as Harry traipsed down to the stables without him. He was having a terrible time without his kitten, but Lupin had managed to convince him that forcing his presence was a bad idea. So he took out his frustration on those around him, which was just the house elves and Lupin. For the past two days the Malfoys had locked themselves in his infirmary, because Howitzer had decided that moving Severus and the baby was a bad idea.

So Tom just watched Harry from a distance, and harassed the house elves in the morning, demanding to know how Harry was, if he had eaten that morning, if they had remembered to give him food that day…

They were beginning to hate him.

Harry had just led a brown Arab mare out to the large ring and mounted from the block. Tom looked on in adoration as Harry first warmed the mare up, and then slowly moved on to more complicated exercises. He tried to read through the bond what his mate was feeling, and couldn't reach Harry. 'Well, what's the last thing I remember him feeling?' thought Tom

'Toys and chocolate!' he thought excitedly. He had a purpose now! If Harry couldn't stand to be around him, it wasn't as though he had to forget about Tom. Sure they had air written to each other at least a hundred times a day, but that wasn't enough. Harry had to have something to hold onto that would remind him of Tom. So, with one last look at Harry, who was galloping madly around the ring, with a grin from ear to ear, he turned to go find Sirius.

He decided to floo to the Malfoy's manor, because that was the last place he remembered seeing Sirius. He was ejected into the atrium, and wandered about the house looking for his wayward spy. A very blond and affronted portrait informed him that there were two animals in the dining nook, and asked that he remove the dog from the table.

Tom automatically assured the deceased Malfoy that the dog was an animagus, and probably very bored to be eating in his dog form.

Slipping unnoticed into the informal dining space, he was shocked at the sight that greeted him.

Sirius was shoveling food into his face at an amazing speed, and looking very pleased to be able to do so. Beside him, Prince, Draco's Great Dane had his face buried in a plate of what looked like ham.

"What on earth are you doing?" asked Tom.

"They – mmf- hold on –"Sirius swallowed the food he had in his mouth, and kept his eyes trained on his plate as he talked to the dark lord.

"The house elves wouldn't feed me unless there was a Malfoy at the table, so I found some animal healers invoices that named the dog Prince Malfoy. And as long as he's at the table, they'll feed me."

"It took me two long days, but I finally tricked them!" Sirius laughed madly at the house elves that weren't there, and returned to shoveling food into his face.

Tom wondered whether or not Sirius had cracked while he was in Azkaban. "Why didn't you just go out to the muggle village and get yourself some food?" he asked

"We've still got wizards in the dungeons, couldn't leave them alone. Let me eat." Sirius responded testily.

"I'll just go visit with them, how does that sound?" Tom said casually. His only response was a thumb raise from Sirius and a wag of the tail from Prince.

He left to go see the prisoners, and whistled a little tune once he was out the door. He heard Sirius shriek, and Prince ran to the whistle as he'd been trained. As the dog happily danced around him, Sirius ran towards Prince and made to grab his collar to bring him back to the table. Prince turned and ran, seeming to think that this was a game of tag, and Sirius tore after him yelling,

"Two goddamn days, dog! You mean nothing but food to me! If I have to take you out back and roast you I will!"

Tom watched them disappear down the hall, and thought it was counter-intuitive that his life had gotten stranger after he regained his sanity through Harry's and his bond.

Thinking that he would get no help from Sirius today, he decided to go visit the prisoners and then go shopping for Harry.

He made his way down to the dungeons slowly, savoring the triumph that he felt. Harry had managed to recover from almost everything that life had thrown him, though he still hated to be alone before he'd gone into heat. He was so proud of his mate, and he would do anything to see Harry develop into the great man he was destined to be.

He entered the row of rooms and relished the strong aroma of fear and pain that permeated the area. He stopped at Ron Weasley's cell first, and saw that the young man was much changed. He was emaciated, and filthy. He had been blinded, so that he would not know where the next blow was coming from, but he heard Tom's heavy breathing. His only response was to curl in on himself and whimper. Tom left him and moved on.

Goyle had bore the brunt of the Malfoy's and Sirius' rage. He was barely recognizable as human (though that wasn't much of a change) and wheezed at the door when he felt that someone was at the threshold. He was blinded and deafened, however those senses returned to him whenever he tried to sleep, with lights so bright he shrieked in pain and noises so loud they qualified as sonic booms.

Tom tried to think of a punishment to add to the current ones. Finally, he waved his wand, and from the roof poured a solid column of saltwater, all focused on Goyle. The man shrieked in pain, and Tom set the spell to occur once every two hours, and a slashing hex to activate every hour, so that Goyle always had open wounds for the salt water to burn.

Feeling much calmer because he had defended his mate's honor, he set out to find the perfect gifts for Harry.

He apparated to Diagon Alley and stopped in the Wizarding branch of Godiva Chocolates. Looking around, he thought that Harry deserved more than a simple box! So he called over a store clerk, and bought a whole display wall. While he was dealing with the payment and shipping, he saw something that he was sure would fascinate Harry.

"Clerk, could you bring me two ten pound bars of chocolate? One white and one milk chocolate, yes, that's good." Tom smirked, thinking that there was no way that someone could ever accuse him of neglecting Harry.

Next he sought out a gift store, intent on finding the perfect toy for Harry. Something that would remind him of Tom…

He passed a display on a Wizarding children's toy store, and then turned to walk back to it. They were selling stuffed snakes that slithered when the owner wished them to! It was as though he was meant to buy the toy. He went in, and found one with red eyes, and pale scales. On his way to the register, he saw that the far wall had a mound of random toys that were all soft and adorable, and decided that Harry had to have it.

So he called over a clerk, and bought every toy on the far wall. He went over and shrunk the mountain of toys, then sent it to his manor. Feeling better than he had in days, he decided to have lunch in the alley, and then head home after going to some shops for himself.

Meanwhile, Harry had just gotten out of the shower, and decided to nap until dinner. He curled into the bed's numerous pillows and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of horses and free falls off of cliffs.

Remus was sitting in Tom's office when he got back. "Where were you all day?" he asked, slightly miffed that he could smell Sirius on Voldemort's clothes, and he'd not been able to see his wayward mate. He frowned and jerkily got out of his chair.

"I was buying things for Harry, Lupin." Tom frowned back at him.

"Why didn't you take me when you went to see Sirius?" Remus demanded. Really now, the man would snap at him for anything, and he had put up with it to see Sirius!

"Oh!" Tom exclaimed, "You're waiting around here to see him? Why? He's just over at Malfoy Manor. I'd thought you were waiting to see Harry."

Remus hung his head. "I told you several times that I was waiting to see Sirius. What made you think I was talking about Harry?"

Tom got a dreamy look on his face. Lupin raised a hand and said "Because Harry's all you think about, right? I'm leaving. Tell Harry goodbye for me the next time that you two start air-mailing each other."With that, Remus floo'd himself to the manor through Tom's fireplace.

Tom shrugged and sat at his desk to sort out all of the gifts that he had gotten Harry. He carefully imagined Harry's room, and sent the toys and chocolates to various surfaces that he remembered. Once all of the new things were arranged in Harry's room, Tom pulled out hard copies of plans for future raids. Now that he was feeling a bit calmer than he had in the past week, he could focus on the business of being the Dark Lord.

Harry's room was darker than he had thought that it would be when he woke, and dinner was on a tray on his bed already. "Lumos.", he commanded the lights. His eyes bugged when he got a good look at his room. He was surrounded by a sea of stuffed toys! When he got a good look the only one on his bed, he figured out who the culprit was. A pale toy snake with red eyes slithered up to Harry's knees, then lay docile when Harry picked it up to look at.

Harry sighed and shook his head. He knew what Tom was trying to do, but the man had blocked his door with a mountain of stuffed toys. Harry stepped off the bed and sank up to his knees in stuffed animals.

'Maybe I'll just eat dinner and wait for a house elf to come help me with this mess…' Harry thought.

Little did he know that the House elf that worked for him had been knocked out by a flying 10 pound bar of chocolate, so it would be a while before help came.


	23. Chapter 23

After an hour, Harry gave up on getting help before bedtime. He had jumped into the toys surrounding his bed, and had fun playing with them like a soft, clean ball pit. He made his way back to his bed and called for a house elf.

*pop*, he heard from the sea of toys, quickly followed by a muffled "eep!"

*POP* he heard, as the house elf re-apparated, this time on top of the clothes. "Master Harry Potter sir, what did you do??" The elf asked with a hint of despair in her voice as she looked around at the mess.

"_I_ didn't do it!" Harry said indignantly. "Tom did, I think. Look, I'm going to need to go to the bathroom before bed, and I can't open any of my doors!"

The elf stumbled over the toys and too the door. She opened it, and surprised Sirius, who was on the other side of the door as a small avalanche of toys took him out at the knees and knocked him forward into the room.

"What on earth… never mind, I don't think I want to know." Sirius stood up and brushed himself off. "Remus came over the Malfoy Manor, so I left him to watch the prisoners and came here to ask if you wanted to eat with me."

"Err… I guess I could do that. I can't stand to be around doms right now, but you don't seem to be making the heat worse. When did you want to eat?"

"Harry… I haven't been able to eat without a dog at the table in several days. Do you know how hard it is to keep a dog at the table when he's done eating? Do you know how FAST dogs eat?? I need to eat now. I'm lucky to be standing here talking to you."

Harry tunneled into the stuffed toys to reach the chocolate layer that was below the stuffed toys. He surfaced with a box of truffles that he tossed to Sirius. "Eat those on the way. I've been eating in the kitchenette to avoid Tom and the Malfoys."

Sirius led the way, almost running as they got closer to the kitchen and the smells of dinner began to waft their way. He opened the door with enough force that Harry was able to follow him without touching the door. By the time that Harry had crossed the threshold, Sirius was already at the table, stuffing his face with the bread that was already laid out for them.

As they worked their way through dinner, they caught up on what they'd been up to since the last time that they'd seen each other. Finally, Sirius was done stuffing his face, and decided to go visit the Malfoys to see Severus' new baby.

The two split up at the top of the stairs, Harry continuing forward to deal with the mess in his room and read a bit before bed, and Sirius going right to go to the hospital rooms.

When Sirius reached the rooms, he stopped in the door to take in the beautiful sight before him. Draco was holding his little sister, smiling and slightly bouncing her, while his parents lay on a bed, napping lightly. Sirius sighed, and decided then that he would have this scene for himself and Remus someday.

At his sigh, Severus looked at the doorway.

"Oh, just perfect. The mutt is going to get all mushy on us. Blegh!"


End file.
